How much do you review your failures and sins? Is reminding yourself of how you blew it last time a routine occurrence? For many women I know this is a daily part of life. Some of my counselee's who struggle with depression and anxiety begin their day by telling themselves what dismal failures they are. Most are not quite that bad, but truly I find my counselee's seem to want to clobber themselves with their shortcomings.
Does this surprise you? Did you think you were the only one? As long as there has been Satan there has been accusation and this will not cease until Jesus returns to rule the earth. Revelation 12:10 speaks of the accuser of our brethren who accuses us before our God day and night so we know we've a long way to go.
Our self condemnation takes many forms and our enemy really has only 1 purpose in it - and that is to discourage you to the point where you give up and cease to fulfill God's purpose in your life.
Think of the running dialogue in your mind. How often do you hear yourself saying things like:
"I am such an idiot!"
"What a loser I am, I will never get this right."
"How could I be so stupid?"
"I do the same sin over and over again, I am hopeless."
"I am a failure as a Christian"
Those are some of my thoughts and they seem to be the favorites. Satan loves to parade my failures and sin before me. He loves to remind me of the last time I chose to respond sinfully. He wants me to focus on your sin, failure, and your unworthiness, and he wants the same for you!
When we are busy doing ripping on ourselves we become completely ineffective in worship and service to Him. God's purpose and plan for our lives is derailed and until we get our thinking straightened out we are sidelined with self-pity and remorse.
The way we handle those adverse thoughts is with the truth. Remind yourself of the great God you serve, whose purposes for you will be accomplished! Remind yourself that God knew your sins and failures long before time began and because of Christ, He loves you anyway-enough to die for you.
Keep the truth always at the forefront of your minds. He who keeps you will present you blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.