Healing Helps Book Review

Personal Responsibility

I tend to take too little responsibility for my actions, and my sins. I have noticed that there have been times that I have sinned or done wrong, and my first instinct is to put blame on someone or something else. It is not that I am consciously trying to point fingers at somebody else, but my first instinct is to try and find if someone else, could be responsible. I believe Genesis 3:8-13 is a very good reminder to us, and myself that it is important to take the responsibility for yourself. In that passage Adam pawned the responsibility onto Eve, and then Eve pawned her responsibility unto the serpent who deceived her. When in reality they both should have just admitted they sinned against God, when they knew what the right thing to do was. All though someone else might be tempting you to do something, it is important to remember that you, yourself make the decision to act unto it, or not. That is something I find important and a great reminder that when I sin, it is no one’s responsibility but my own.

Integrity

Being a person of integrity would be to be an honest and having a strong moral principle. For me that means being honest in my school work, being honest with my parents, being honest with my boyfriend, and being honest with God. Being known for having good integrity would show that you can be trusted. It would show that you are a person people can go to when they have troubles, and need to trust something with their troubles. Having good integrity would show others around you that you are faithful and God-fearing.

Attitude

Philippians 1:27 says, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ”. I interpureted that as no matter what unexpected disruptions, or difficulties, we should respond with a Christ-like attitude. Later in Philippians, Paul writes, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 2:5) Jesus had a perfect attitude in every situation, because he prayed about everything and worried about nothing. I think there are many verses that can help me with my attitude, but those above in particular because it reminds me that I need to have the same attitude that Christ would have. Knowing that, helps me from biting me tongue, and having a good attitude even in difficulties.

Thinking

I believe that having wholesome thoughts, results in wholesome living. In Proverbs 4:23 it says, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” We need to watch over our hearts and minds, because all of our actions flow from what we think and what we feel. Another verse that helps with thinking wholesomely, is Luke 6:45, which says, “The good man out of the food treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the veil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills the heart.” When we are thinking un-wholesomely, we speak that way, we live that way, and we appear that way to others. Our thoughts control most of our actions, and how we speak, and go about our days, that is why it is so important to have a clean mind. To be transformed in my thinking, it would mean that I would not think negatively about people, but that I would find something positive. It would mean that I would not think evil thing towards anybody or anything, that way I am living wholesomely.

Self-Care

I tend to do too little self-care. All though I know and preach to others how important self-care is, I notice that I myself do not look out for myself as much as I should. I tend to care more about others and how they are feeling, while I am forgetting about myself. I believe that if I cared after myself more than I do, I would be able to help others in a better way, than I do when I am lacking in my own self-care. Some practical ways I believe that God wants us to self-care for ourselves is by looking after your own feelings. Often times I ignore the way the stuff I am doing, is making me feel on the inside, and I believe that is something God would not want me to ignore. A way to practice self-care for myself, would be to rest more, and make sure I give myself enough time to relax. Often times when I am relaxing I feel guilty that I should be out doing something productive. When in reality, resting is very good for myself, and resting is a good time to come before the Lord, in quietness and thought.