Inner Grinch

Did you have to deal with your own inner grinch this holiday?  I did.  At least we know what to call if!  The Grinch wants what others have, but he pretends it is the last thing that he wants.  I am actually glad that we have the story of the Grinch...it is much easier to swallow this truth when it is the Grinch acting this way.

It clearly shows us that the wounded inner child has created the inner / outer grinch.  One lesson we can learn from this is that our "grinchiness" (the external thing that others see) is not the real problem.   The Grinch's selfishness and hurtfulness and damage is none-the-less still selfish, hurtful, and damaging...to others and to the Grinch.

We all participate in the Grinch's drama.  Huumm...insteresting.  A lot of grace is needed whether we are playing the Grinch or not...this time.  When someone else plays Grinch, it is easy to judge them harshly...they really are mean and obnoxious.  When we play the Grinch, well we dress it up. 

Wanting what others have...I remember when I was a child and I wanted to play a musical instrument.  I was told there wasn't the money for this.  Something in me kind of downshifted.  I observed as we kids got older, that there seemed to be money for organs and guitars.

 I just realized this Christmas that the message I got was that I did not belong to this very musical family for some reason.  I felt unloved and like I did not deserve to participate.  It was very much a heart wound.  The kind that creates a type of Grinch.   I saw myself always standing on the outer edge of a family circle that loved music...never participating.

How does God redeem these type of hurts.  Only God can figure it out...I believe.  The message that I was not as worthy as others (those other kids that got to play an instrument) did something else...it left me with the lie of Cinderella.  You can clean and scrub, but you cannot dress up and go to the ball.  I have often joked that I was more functional than ornamental.  Evidently, it was not a joke.  I was me believing the lie. 

I think that part of God's redemption is that I realized that I still had this hurt.  I no longer need to carry the lie.  He helped me clear this.  I think that it is time to dress up and go to the ball!