Unglued

I  am just finishing a 6-week Bible study that has been so enjoyable.  It is called "Unglued" and is by Lysa TerKeurst, who is part of the Proverbs 31 Ministries.

This study deals with our emotions and how we respond, react, and in some cases become "unglued".  Before starting this study I have to admit, I had quite a few "unglued" moments.   It was easy to let little things upset me.  I am thrilled to say those moments are greatly reduced.

Here's what I gleaned from this study:  

(Some things I already knew, but sometimes we just need reminders.)

I can not control anyone's reactions but my own. 

If my feelings are hurt, it isn't necessary to respond immediately.  Taking time to think through my response (if one is needed at all) is wise.

Holding my hurt in does not win me any medals, it only makes me build up hurts.  While this briefly feels good and pretty righteous - it also feels pretty yucky.  Then I feel falsely justified for totally coming unglued farther down the road. (Ugh - not pretty.)

We are all entitled to our feelings, beliefs, views, and opinions.  Life would be  boring if we were all alike.

God loves me and forgives me even when I sin.  I need to extend that grace of love and forgiveness to others because we are all in the same boat -  it is called being human.  

Responding with love, understanding, and Godliness feels so much better than coming unglued.  Michael calls the unglued moments "drama."  I remember the first time I came unglued with Michael - he simply looked at me as if I was from another planet!  And I have to admit, looking back I wonder how I looked at that moment - I'm sure not very God-like.

I discovered (yet again) that I am often hardest on myself - and many of my unglued moments come when I am frustrated with me, not someone else.  I can't imagine how God felt as he has heard my negative self talk in those times.  

And lastly, it really is true - don't sweat the small stuff.  




Some things just are not worth getting upset over.  

Life really is too short.  

I had something come up toward the end of the study that normally would have had me coming unglued in the past.  I looked at it, and it was something I could remove myself from easily enough, so I did.  I had signed myself up for this frustration 3 times in the past and this time I simply said,  "I'm just not going to  do this any longer."  

That felt so wonderful.

If you have the opportunity to do this study I would encourage it.

Thanks to all those in my study group for being so real and sharing life as it happens (pretty or not).  I love it when we women come together to encourage each other, support each other, can laugh and cry together about the moments we have, but through it all we  love each other.

God has to be smiling HUGE at that.