Getting worse to get better

by JULETTE

Hello!

Marianne Williamson say this: “The process of personal growth {my insert: or forgiveness} isn’t always easy. We must face our own ugliness. We often must become painfully aware of the unworkability of a pattern before we’re willing to give it up. It often seems, in fact, that our lives get worse rather than better when we begin to work deeply on ourselves.”

Marianne says a few things; “we must face our ugliness”…absolutely and I say, face it and love it as you say goodbye. She says we “must become painfully aware of the unworkability of a pattern before we’re willing to give it up;” I so agree with that. The pain of the untenable situation created by our “ugliness” has to be felt so we can see and feel the need to grow. If we don’t get it, we will hold on to our unproductive patterns of behavior longer and longer.

That our lives will often “get worse rather than better when we begin to work deeply on ourselves” sounds scary but it is accurate.

Doesn’t this intuitively make sense to you? It did to me. It is consistent with my experience. And since we are more alike than we are different – us human beings – I’m thinking you’ve had similar experiences as well.

Here’s the thing…

When we are on this personal growth journey, we encounter layers of protection and covering upon our wounded souls. As we remove them, if we be that brave, the psyche pain can really cut deep. This is where one might be tempted to stop the growth process and run back for cover.

But this precisely is when we must persist. Endure the pain and discomfort with complete faith that it too shall heal.

Facing our demons straight on is the only way to remove them. This might launch you into a personal storm but be assured… the rainbow will follow. “…weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5

If we don’t stand the pain of cleaning a wound with some sort of stinging treatment; if we simply dressed a wound that has not been cleaned, it will not heal as quickly or as well. The pain and bother from further infection and complications will be more than the pain of cleaning.

And so it is with our psyche – emotional and spiritual wounds, we must stand the pain of stripping away layers of pain, baggage and issues – our “ugliness” – or we will have more pain to face in the future.

The pain from this type of procrastination runs deep: The pain from dead relationships, lost opportunities, un-forgiveness, undeveloped personal gifts and talents, and unresolved issues and pain is pervasive and far-reaching.

The only way to avoid it all is by facing the shorter and maybe even sharper pain that comes from walking right through the initial discomfort of uncovering the layers of built up issues.

The less layers we develop over time, the less discomfort and the less pain to address and remove them; so the sooner we deal with things that are uncomfortable or unresolved the better. SO much better!