Your Crocodile Story
I recently heard a sermon on reconciliation. It was a great sermon with six steps to help get past the excuses we give ourselves for not letting go of hurtful situations in our lives. It appears that it doesn’t really matter who was at fault, because time does not actually heal those old wounds. Every time you think about them, they become fresh in your mind all over again. You may add salt to those wounds so they become even worse, or you may continue to tell the story to anyone who will listen. The story becomes your crocodile.
The crocodile may not be the person who offended you. The crocodile may just be you, or it may just be a good story because it happened so long ago you can’t remember who did what. You’re wrestling with the crocodile you see in the mirror. You are holding tightly to the negative situation and keeping it close to your heart. But why?
What can you do then to reconcile with yourself, with your own cranky, inner crocodile?
Start here:
Decide to stop feeding the crocodile.
Drop the croc and seek the Rock. Put the offense, if you can remember it, at the foot of the cross and leave it there.
Seek to forgive the situation and send the crocodile back to the swamp.
Create a New Story
Pick a new story, one that uplifts your spirits and reminds you of life’s good things.
Even you need a little forgiveness sometimes, and that may be the best place to start. Forgive yourself!
You might see the old story is just a croc because you’ve got far better stories to share now!
Okay, send your old cranky crocodiles back to the swamps today.
Whew! Now doesn’t that feel much better?
