Sept 20th, 2023: Broken Self and Unhappiness

Flying can be a frustrating experience for many of us. The normalcy now is that our flight will be late. When it is on time, it will be a pleasant surprise. Sometimes passengers can be annoyed and vocal about their feelings, which does not really help the situation all that much except for escalating the unpleasant situation. Sometimes the lack of customer service might make the situation worse due to the lack of empathy and understanding.

Life can be full of ups and downs. Married people are disappointed by their marriages. Single people are wondering why they are not married. People are unhappy with their jobs. Brothers and sisters quarrel over family problems. Unhappy children make unacceptable demands on their parents. Parents have unreasonable expectations for their children.

Happiness is an illusion in many ways. When we think we deserve to be happy, we begin our long journey of unhappiness. When we think life should sail smoothly, we deny the reality of human brokenness. When we are ready to shame and blame others for our struggles, we simply confirm that we are the true problem.

Forgiveness is not just about forgiving others. It is about having the willingness to face our broken self with utter honesty so we can be free to search for the true self that God has created. Forgiveness sets us free from the shame of self-condemnation. True freedom happens when we accept God's offer of redemption to regain our original self.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28