Midweek Meditation: EHC Principle 2 of 6

In Peter Scazzero's "The Emotionally Healthy Church," the second principle to cultivate emotional health is to learn to leave the past behind us, so that we could become the person we are created to be. The past can shape us or refine, but they do not define us.

"Events and people have impacted who I am today and will help me understand 'what makes me tick.'" (Peter Scazzero, The Emotionally Healthy Church, Zondervan, 2003, p96)

"When I was young, I set out to change the world. When I grew older, I perceived that this was too ambitious so I set out to change my state. This, too, I realized as I grew older was too ambitious, so I set out to change my town. When I realized I could not even do this, I tried to change my family. Now as an old man, I know that I should have started by changing myself. If I had started with myself, maybe then I would have succeeded in changing my family, the town, or even the state - and who knows, maybe even the world." (Words of an old Hasidic rabbi)

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#2 - BREAK THE POWER OF THE PAST (1-Very / 2-Sometimes / 3-Not Sure / 4-Never)

1. Do you resolve conflicts in a charitable and respectful way? (  )
2. Are you willing to work through unresolved hurts and emotional wounds in the past? (  )
3. Are you able to give thanks for your past? (  )
4. Are you aware of healthy and unhealthy ways to deal with a troubled past? (  )
5. Do you need approval from others to feel good about yourself? (  )
6. Are you able to take responsibility for your own faults? (  )
7. Are you willing to discern the major influences of your past? (  )

Note that the lower your score, the better you are able to honestly deal with your past.

conrade