People who are honestly trying to follow the spiritual life often make the mistake of being too hard on themselves. Because they do not seem to be progressing as fast as they would naturally like, or because they find themselves repeating some old fault that they thought they had completely overcome, they feel discouraged, and condemn themselves mercilessly.
All this is foolish. If you are doing your best to use what Truth you know, at present, you are doing all that you have a right to expect of yourself.
Don’t be impatient with yourself—but this does not mean that you are to be lazy or complacent. Handle yourself as a wise parent handles an obstreperous child—kindly, patiently, but with gentle firmness, not expecting too much too quickly, but foreseeing inevitable growth and improvement.
…and all of you are children of the most high (Psalm 82:6).
Let us rid ourselves of self-condemnation once and for all. Yes, we should review our thoughts, words and deeds objectively to identify things we do wrong. That does not mean we are to condemn ourselves for our shortcomings. We are to recognize them and use them as tools to rise above them. This creates good to replace bad, instead of focusing on that of which we are not proud.
Rising above,
Z gardener
Good Morning Garden 
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