How are you doing with guilt? Expectations that can’t be met?

When I reflect over my day, and I look at the ways that I fall short of who I think I should be, I tend to forget who I could be without God in my life. I love that this tree took a couple of wrong turns, but seems to have it right now. When I look over my life, I can certainly see where God has straightened me out. There are areas that I would like God to straighten out even more! There are areas of my life I want to pretend that God and others don’t see where I am growing in the wrong direction. These changes are usually slower than my frantic world wants. Thankfully we serve a God who is patient, kind, and loving, who wants to help straighten us out. And I do believe that the process will help me be more like God—patient, kind, and loving—growing in the direction of God’s choosing.

I gladly agree with the Law on the inside, but I see a different law at work in my body. It wages a war against the law of my mind and takes me prisoner with the law of sin that is in my body. I’m a miserable human being. Who will deliver me from this dead corpse? Thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then I’m a slave to God’s Law in my mind, but I’m a slave to sin’s law in my body. (Rom. 7:22-25, CEB)

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. (PS.119:105 NIV)

I’m sure about this: the one who started a good work in you will stay with you to complete the job by the day of Christ Jesus. (Phil. 1:6, CEB)

Don’t fear, because I am with you; don’t be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will surely help you; I will hold you with my righteous strong hand. (Is. 41:10, CEB)