The Ugly Things

I have been reading Beautiful People Just Don't Happen by Scott Sauls and it has been very enjoyable and enlightening to say the least. He writes, "I pray the ugly things from your past would lose their grip on you. I pray that you will come to understand that even though the ugly things are part of your story, they don't define you."

Wow, what a mouthful. If we are honest, we have all done or said something we felt ashamed of. Spoken words, hurtful, scarring words that were damaging and humiliating. Maybe you fought someone, held prejudice thoughts, abruptly ended a relationship or made an unfavorable business decision. It can be difficult to let go of the shameful moments in our story. Our response to the "ugly things" in our story can determine how we show up and how we see the world. How we treat our love ones, colleagues, strangers and ourselves. Is there an "ugly thing" in your story that you have had trouble letting go?

First, whatever your ugly thing is, know you aren't alone. Secondly, your "ugly thing" doesn't have to define you but rather let it encourage you to be the light you were created to be. Lastly, God loves you even with your ugly thing and his love has the transformative power to redeem and to restore your heart. So let God love you.

Talk Soon,

Tony