Forgiving Your Worst Enemy

"I myself am the enemy most in need of healing." - Carl Jung

"You are your own worst enemy!"  

I remember those words being spoken to me by a supervisor once after I'd self-destructed my planned career path.  

I'd run afoul of a notoriously capricious and mean-spirited higher level manager in the corporation I was working for at the time, and things were going south for me, and fast.  

In the end, I was able to transfer and got a second chance in another department, where I eventually got back on track.  Unfortunately, I never forgot what that supervisor shared with me.  It stayed with me like an accusing voice that would chime in at the worst moments.  

What I failed to recognize was that even though what he shared with me was true at that moment, it was not definitive and true for every moment that followed.  

We all know what it feels like to find ourselves standing in the wreckage of our best-laid plans gone wrong, and realizing that we have no one else to blame for how all fell apart.  

These are the moments when you feel the most lost and alone--when you feel that you will always be your own worst enemy, that you will never be able to move beyond your self-destructive ways.  

Tom Beech once wrote: 

"'Lost' for me is when I separate from what I know to be true about myself.  I become blind to my own shadows and wall myself from others.  When I'm lost, I can do real damage."

Beech's words are so convicting.  It is far too easy to get lost when you lose sight of the truth about yourself, and it's in those moments when you do the most damage to yourself and others.  

And if you are wondering what the truth about you is, here it is:  You are a loved, cherished and beautiful child of God and God has gone to the greatest lengths God could go in order to rescue you, lift you up and give you hope and a purpose.  

So instead of bemoaning the fact that you often seem to be your own worst enemy, step fully into obedience to Jesus' command to love your enemies, and begin by loving and forgiving yourself.  

May you embrace that forgiveness and lift up your head in joy.  May you realize that there is no enemy that can defeat you when you are armed with the love and hope that are yours in Jesus.  

And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Amen.