The 8 Day Challenge Day 6

Thought of the Day
"With God's help, I leave the junk behind."

Good morning everyone! Five days down, three to go.

For this sixth day, I want you to focus on forgiveness.

To live with maximum joy, you must forgive everyone in your life, past or present, for all the silly, spineless, nutty, nasty, gutless, cruel, spiteful, harmful, insensitive things they've ever done to you, both real and imagined. (Did I leave anything out?) As I mention in the book, life is way too short to be negative.

We're all human and stuff happens. Move on. Never let an old wound fester due to excessive attention. When you carry around bitterness, hostility, and other emotional baggage, you live in the past and cannot possibly realize your potential for joy. It is impossible to feel terrific about yourself when you are lugging around resentment toward another person. I may be wrong, but I suspect this is by divine design. You must either develop an ultra-thick skin or become a perpetual forgiveness machine--preferably both.

Forgive yourself early and often--and mean it! It is imperative to forgive yourself, without mental reservation, for your stupid choices, inappropriate thoughts, limiting words, foolish behaviors, negative beliefs, and all the other self-defeating things you've ever done. Because you are not perfect, forgiving yourself will be an ongoing process. Remarkably, you only have to do this . . . forever! That's okay; you're not alone.

Guilt isn't practical anyway. It forces you to experience the present moment while paralyzed by past mistakes. When you have setbacks or slip a bit, you aren't any less valuable. You simply have something to learn from slipping. Make sure you learn it, as learning from the past is much better than reliving it. Make forgiving yourself a mandatory element in your daily joy ritual. Forget your failures and relive your joys.

Don't expect to feel any different instantly. The emotional blessing often lags behind the actual act of forgiveness. Just accept God's grace and restoration for the incredible gift that it is. Leave the junk behind so you can make room for the joy. Practice forgiving yourself regularly--and mean it sincerely.

Question of the Day
Have you given yourself permission to live life to the fullest?

The Challenge of the Day (for extra credit...or the extra mile)
Pray the following today...

Heavenly Father,

How awesome it is that you know everything about me and love me anyway! Upgrade my opinion of myself and my vision for the future so I never feel the need to protect and preserve the past. Allow me to see myself today with as much significance as you see me. Keep my focus ahead of me rather than behind me.

Grant me the courage to push beyond previous boundaries in all areas of my life. Show me how to be a faithful steward of my one and only opportunity to magnify the greatness you have placed within me. Lead me away from complacency and any temptation to settle for less than what you know is my absolute best.

Restore me this day, and make me whole and complete.

In His name,

Amen