HOWEVER –
Your reactions to these experiences are even MORE important than the experiences themselves.
Now I’m certainly not saying that you or I, or anyone else should purposefully abuse their body and then just say, “Oh well. I forgive myself for wreaking havoc on my personal well-being, my temple.”
My intention is to treat my physical body well by eating healthy food, drinking pure water, getting beneficial exercise. My mental and emotional health improves when I hold thoughts and feelings of love, joy, and beauty.
And sometimes…. I “miss the mark.” (That’s the true definition of the word “sin” by the way. It’s an ancient archery term.)
And when that happens, I then have two choices:
- I can scold, shame, and/or punish myself, which will put me into an even more negative state, which in turn makes it tougher to get back “up” where I’d much rather be spending my time.
- OR, I can look at my behavior and realize that I no longer appreciate the value of my previous decision. And determine to make a more appropriate one the next time.
To paraphrase the words of Jesus, ” Now that you have learned better, Go and sin no more.”
