It’s the challenge of the faithful to give, give, give but at some point we can give no more. At other times we give, but in the wrong way. Still, other times we give but give the wrong things.
Let me show you some examples from my own life and the trouble it’s gotten me into…
Give Until it Hurts…Literally
Years ago I wanted to cook a spaghetti dinner for my girlfriend and her kids. I was excited to show them how well I could cook so I whipped up a great sauce with ground beef, green peppers, onions and mushrooms in it. It was amazing but the kids were less than impressed. It wasn’t what they were used to so they didn’t like it…at all.
I’ve been known to be a people pleaser. I’ve picked up the slack of others even when I should have required them to be responsible for themselves. I’ve underestimated the capabilities and initiative of people and assumed I knew when they were at their max. That led to people not being accountable for their own work, not willing to solve their own problems and more dependent on me and others to help them find solutions.
I’ve eaten to be social and not hurt people’s feelings. I’ve eaten in order to be part of the crowd – to fit in with the team. I’ve eaten to satisfy urges that were not in my best interests. I’ve eaten to help myself feel better, if only for a very short period of time. When the euphoria wore off all I was left with was pain. The pain of poor health, the pain of not feeling in control of my decisions, the pain of wanting to contribute but feeling lethargic and the pain of being hard on myself as I withdrew not feeling worthy of the attention of others.
Drawing the Line – Giving in a New and Different Way
I still fall down on each of these from time to time and that’s ok. Being aware of the times I’ve gone off the track helps greatly in limiting my failures in the here and now. I made a decision to be social during an impromptu potluck at work a couple weeks ago and that led to regret, feeling out of control, and pain. I vowed the next time such a situation came up that I would do something very different and I would let everyone know what I was planning ahead of time.
Yesterday was the day and, for the most part, I stayed true to my word. The one exception I made was the best one. I decided I could give of myself without partaking in unhealthy foods. I sat with my mates and ate a healthy lunch. I sampled a bit of the food at this potluck but I steered clear of that which was most harmful to me. As I write this, the leftovers are still calling my name but I know the Holy Spirit is there to sit alongside me and get my focus back on what’s most important – being healthy, happy and sharing the gifts I’ve been given with all of you.
God bless,
Question: When have you given in ways that ended up hurting you, in the wrong ways, or with the wrong things? I’d love to read your story in the form of a comment below…