Removing Our Shortcomings

Romans 6: 11-12 “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.”

This reading from Saint Paul brings to mind the importance of Steps 6 and 7 in helping the addict be dead to sin. I recently found myself in a situation where my shortcoming of poor self image and obsessively wanting other’s approval was exposed. What God revealed to me in this situation was that I have been doing a good job of identifying my shortcomings, but not asking God to remove them. I offer this prayer to you from My Daily Bread that I have been using to help me to ask God to remove these shortcomings of poor self-image and wanting others approval. May it help you in your journey as it has mine.

“O Jesus, You are the truth of God! Amid the darkness of confused thinking and conflicting ideas, your light of truth shines bright. Let my judgments never be influenced by the people who disagree with your standards. Though the world may laugh me to scorn, I will fear no human judgments, as long as I loyally follow your standards in my daily life. Too often have I been guilty of selfishness, pride, and vanity in my own thoughts and judgments. I looked at external appearances, visible results, and human recognition. You look at faith, love, and unselfish intentions in our actions. These are the virtues which make my actions holy and make me like you, I hope to follow these standards from now on. Amen”