Wednesday, February 04, 2015

Midweek Meditation: EHC Principle 4 of 6

In Peter Scazzero's "The Emotionally Healthy Church," the fourth principle to cultivate emotional health is to receive the gift of limits. It means being realistic about one's humanness and limitations.

"Emotionally healthy people understand the limits God has given them. They joyfully receive the one, two, seven, or ten talents God has so graciously distributed. As a result, they are not frenzied and covetous, trying to live a life God never intended. They are marked by contentment and joy." (Peter Scazzero, The Emotionally Healthy Church, Zondervan, 2003, p132)

"No two lives are the same. We often compare our lives with the lives of others, trying to decide whether we are better or worse off, but such comparisons do not help us much. We have to live our life, not someone else's. We have to hold our own cup. We have to dare to say: 'This is my life, the life that is given to me, and it is this life that I have to live, as well as I can. My life is unique. Nobody else will ever live it. I have my own history, my own family, my own body, my own character, my own friends, my own way of thinking, speaking, and acting - yes, I have my own life to live. No one else has the same challenge. I am alone, because I am unique. Many people can help me live my life, but after all is said and done, I have to make my own life choices about how to live.
" (Henri Nouwen, Can You Drink the Cup?, Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria, 1996, p28)



#4 - RECEIVE THE GIFT OF LIMITS (1-Very / 2-Sometimes / 3-Not Sure / 4-Never)
  1. I don't usually try to do everything on my own or bite off more than I can manage. (  )
  2. Can you easily say NO to others? (  )
  3. You recognize whether you will be a help/hindrance. (  )
  4. Do you know when to help and when you are unable to help? (  )
  5. You have a good sense of your strengths and weaknesses. (  )
  6. People say that you are good at balancing family, work, and other responsibilities. (  )
  7. You regularly avoid false modesty. (  )
Note that the lower your score, the better you are able to honestly deal with your own brokenness and weakness, and not be afraid to admit you are very human.

conrade


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