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My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.

And friends, once that's taken care of and we're no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we're bold and free before God! We're able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we're doing what he said, doing what pleases him. Again, this is God's command: to believe in his personally named Son, Jesus Christ. He told us to love each other, in line with the original command. As we keep his commands, we live deeply and surely in him, and he lives in us. And this is how we experience his deep and abiding presence in us: by the Spirit he gave us. 1 John 3:18-24

<sup>The Lord used these verses to rebuild me today. And I want to share them with you.

You see, I was weary and wounded. I was left vulnerable from a less than adequate night's sleep and a hard word to process through. I got caught in a storm of self doubt.

Why can't I ever be good enough? I wasn't cut out for this. No one even likes me.

My day got worse and worse. I started to believe the lies the enemy whispered in my ear.

Everyone has it together but me. Why can't I be more like her? I can only pretend for so long. Maybe this is really who I am.</sup>

Burdened by all the ways I've failed and all the ways I continue to fail, I started to crumble. I wanted to cry. All I could do was go home and hide.

<sup>But you see, it's not what we do that makes us worthy. It's not what we do that makes us who we are. It's the spirit of God that abides in our hearts that makes us who we are. As he changes us. And he knows us well. He knows what we're really made of and celebrates that. He rejoices over us, his perfect creation.

But, how can I move forward from comparing myself to everyone around me? How can I find freedom from this? The good news is the Lord sees our struggles and knows our pain. He gives us hope.

When I have there's no energy and you have nothing left to give...practice real love.
When you can't stop the self destructive thoughts from bearing down on you...practice real love.
When you just aren't sure what to do or where you're going...practice real love.

Practice real love. It will shut down debilitating self-criticism leaving us free to enjoy the Lord and receive all that he has for us.</sup>