TAIL SPINS

I don't think there is a more depressing feeling than having to face when we lose a sense of self-control. It is one thing to never have control in the first place. That is a whole different spectrum of emotions.

But if you assume you have control over some part of you life and it suddenly goes away you can really struggle with trying to come to grips with its reality. We can manufacturer all kinds of excuses other than face the truth.

Why? I see it as an element of pride. I think we all love the illusion of having power in our lives, even if it really is only an illusion.

So self-control becomes one of those "badges" of prove to our real worth. At least in our thinking.

However to me, with the Lord, I don't see it as the major issue. If self-control were the issue, then legalism would be the path of salvation instead of faith.

Oh the other hand, God knows us way too well. He understands our weaknesses and the fact of how often we just can't accept the truth of our shortcomings for a variety of reasons, which is why he accords us grace.

So in becomes such a silly game in so many ways. We find that arena we can control in our life and then elevate to being the one thing God loves most in a believer. It is all absurd, but we that never keeps us from doing it anyway.

I'm grateful that despite such insanity God still manages to love us. No matter how many times in our life some tail spin occurs in an area we thought we had control, he still cares about us.

Our inability to cope with the truth of some weakness that leads to a sin is not God's fault. And it is amazing how he grants us grace even when we do fail to accept a sin for what it is.

It is always such a blessing when one is able to finally see God's light in all the darkness of our carnality and failings. To suddenly wake up and say "hey wait a minute, I don't need to lie about this!" It is such a freeing experience.

At the same time there is the need for compassion. To let those who are in a tailspin cope with it their way. It means hearing lies way too often. One doesn't have to agree, but rejoice that God's love covers a multitude of areas of human behavior.

Taking our savior's hand for forgiveness is one thing. But letting go of the baubles of pride we think we somehow need for our own worth is totally different. I pray we all find that path the leads to knowing grace fits a lot of situations we sometimes think our what we must control.