Guilt's Paralysis

What is guilt? Is it simply carrying condemnation for some error committed in ones life. Or is is holding resentment because of something that has happened in your life? Or is it deeper than that? Over the course of the last six years, I have done some serious soul searching, and this was one of the biggest obstacles to me living the great life!! In fact, it seemed that for every step I took forward; I was forced to take three gargantuan steps back. Why was this occurring? It was occurring because I had allowed the wrong decisions of my past to define the success of my future. Don't let 2009 be a year where you walk around with regret, shame and condemnation over the past failures of your life. Use your failures as a stepping stone into greatness. While we often find it easy to forgive those who have wronged us and disparaged us; it is often a more difficult task to forgive ourselves It has taken me over twenty years to discover that principle. I blamed myself to the point of no end. I should have been more intelligent, I should have prayed more, studied more, etc. However, one day I had an epiphany, and I realized that I am not perfect and I am not superhuman. We are deeply flawed individuals and the only way we will ever grow is through trial-and-error. At the same time, we must learn the lessons that God and life are trying teach us, so that we don't end up in a monotonous cycle of failure. You were born to win!! Stop allowing the paralysis of guilt to rob you of your life. Forgive yourself today!! Scream, cry, write in a diary or whatever else you have to do to get free!! Most importantly, let 2009 be the year that you get all the way free. Through your transparency the lives of others are impacted!! Others gain wisdom from your failure and it liberates you because it teaches that failure is a birthplace for change!! It's not an easy process but it's necessary if you ever want to reach greatness and live your greatest life!! With that said, make 2009 your greatest year yet, and take time to reflect on why you are holding on to your failures. I want you to set aside a time of reflection and ask yourself the following questions:
1.) What did I do that was so horrible that I refuse to forgiven myself?
2.) Vocalize verbally what you did so that the failure loses its power over you.
3.) Write down three to five lessons that your failure has taught you.
4.) How will you use this failure to impact lives?
Write all of this down and reflect on your answers carefully so you can take back your life in 2009!! It's time to live your greatest life now!!