Freedom in Christ Course; day 46 Nugget
10%
Our present emotional health can be strongly influenced by our past experiences. It has been said that our lives are made up of two percentages. 10% is what happens to us. 90% is how we react to what happens.
Firstly, the 10%, the actual stuff that happens to us and around us. We have no control over that. People hurt us, really bad and traumatic things happen, loved ones die... we live in a fallen world. That’s the 10% we can't change. Without minimizing or in any way trivializing the effects of difficult or tragic circumstances, they make up only a small portion of your life. And God says that they do not need to define you or permanently damage you. As a child of God, you are no longer primarily a product of your past. You are now a product of Christ’s past: His finished work on the cross and His resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father.
Secondly, the 90%. It is actually the things that the traumatic experiences in our past have led us to believe that keep us in bondage, not the actual experiences themselves. And with God’s help you can uncover those lies, replace them with God’s truth, and be set free. It can be hard to admit that you have fallen for lies, and when we realize we have been deceived we can feel foolish or like a failure. There is no need to feel that way though. This is one of the devil’s prime areas of attack – he looks out for opportunities to take advantage of events and circumstances in your life so that they cause you maximum damage. Your loving Father God on the other hand wants to use events and circumstances in your life to bring you maximum growth and benefit. There’s no shame in falling for the enemy’s deceptions – he has had centuries of practice at what he does. Pray that God will start to gently show you lies that you have believed as a result of events and circumstances in your past. Perhaps ask a Christian friend that you know and trust to pray the same thing for you, particularly in this couple of weeks leading up to The Steps To Freedom In Christ.
You might find it helpful to look at this story of someone who struggled with anxiety as a result of a traumatic event in the past.
10%
Our present emotional health can be strongly influenced by our past experiences. It has been said that our lives are made up of two percentages. 10% is what happens to us. 90% is how we react to what happens.
Firstly, the 10%, the actual stuff that happens to us and around us. We have no control over that. People hurt us, really bad and traumatic things happen, loved ones die... we live in a fallen world. That’s the 10% we can't change. Without minimizing or in any way trivializing the effects of difficult or tragic circumstances, they make up only a small portion of your life. And God says that they do not need to define you or permanently damage you. As a child of God, you are no longer primarily a product of your past. You are now a product of Christ’s past: His finished work on the cross and His resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father.
Secondly, the 90%. It is actually the things that the traumatic experiences in our past have led us to believe that keep us in bondage, not the actual experiences themselves. And with God’s help you can uncover those lies, replace them with God’s truth, and be set free. It can be hard to admit that you have fallen for lies, and when we realize we have been deceived we can feel foolish or like a failure. There is no need to feel that way though. This is one of the devil’s prime areas of attack – he looks out for opportunities to take advantage of events and circumstances in your life so that they cause you maximum damage. Your loving Father God on the other hand wants to use events and circumstances in your life to bring you maximum growth and benefit. There’s no shame in falling for the enemy’s deceptions – he has had centuries of practice at what he does. Pray that God will start to gently show you lies that you have believed as a result of events and circumstances in your past. Perhaps ask a Christian friend that you know and trust to pray the same thing for you, particularly in this couple of weeks leading up to The Steps To Freedom In Christ.
You might find it helpful to look at this story of someone who struggled with anxiety as a result of a traumatic event in the past.