You are human. Mess ups happen. Beating yourself up over them is an ineffective waste of time, yet many people harbor the squatter named self-punishment. This bully harasses you from the inside. In response to its crippling effects in my clients, I developed the C.R.E.D.I.T. Model, a simple, step-by-step tool to walk you out of the rut of self-punishment to a more gracious and effective response than beating yourself up when you mess up. In the last post we discovered the first three steps

• confrontation
• renounce
• emote.

Today we will unfold the last three:

4. DECLARE. To declare is to announce, report, or rehearse. In this vital brain-based learning process, you verbalize desired behavioral outcomes. Find truths that you want to embrace and apply them to yourself. Chose a new thing to believe about yourself and who you are.

You have power to transform your mind and behavior. Take to heart the passage that says, “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we are of that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak.” 2 Corinthians 4:13. “You will also declare a thing and it shall be established for you; so light will shine on your ways,” Job 22:28.

One of the habits I’m working on is being early for events. Instead of beating myself up and frustratedly saying, “I’m always late,” a declaration I can make is: “I used to be a latenik, but now I arrive fifteen minutes early to work and events,” Someone else might say, “I used to gossip, but now I pray for people instead.” As we saw in step 3, you are effectually divorcing yourself from old ways. They are not part of your identity.

Declare truth over yourself and over those you love.

4. IMPLEMENT. Learning new habits and behaviors can take a long time. In my book Napping in Delilah’s Lap – the Pandemic of Pornography in the Pew & the Pulpit (click on the title to purchase), I establish that the brain needs hundreds, even thousands of attempts to master new skills. Old pathways must be erased and new ones established. This is especially true when established neural pathways have to be abolished. It took a long to establish the harmful patterns, so it might take a long time to eradicate them, and then to replace them.

Fortunately, believers have the added, incredible presence and power of Holy Spirit to aid the process. In fact, He frequently performs powerfully swift transformations in people. My dramatic deliverance and that of my mother, as I shared in the book, are prime examples.

6. TELL/TEACH/TESTIFY. Share what you are going through. Tell a stranger or a friend. Teach an adult or a child. There is much power in testifying. I define testifying as simply saying, “You won’t believe what happened.” We don’t do it enough even though scripture commands it in several places. We testify for numerous reasons. Here are a few:

• It pleases God when we brag on Him
• It encourages and challenges others. I would think, “Well, if He’s doing good for you, I want some of that too.”
• It perpetuates an expectation of more good things.

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!

 

Psalm 105:1, 2

Teach someone this strategy. Teach your kid or grandkid, teach your partner, a co-worker. Teach it to the next person who beats themself up in your presence. Consider that God has strategically sent them to you and now you’re prepared. Offer them a CREDIT card.

I’ve created a free download for your convenience.

• Print it on a stiff sheet of paper.
• cut it into individual cards and stick them in your wallet.
• carry them around, ready to hand out, and when someone beats themselves up, offer them a credit card! Print it now at furtherthefaith.com/credit.

CTA:

1. Identify a habit you beat yourself up for and share it in the comments.
2. Apply the steps of the C.R.E.D.I.T. Model to get out of the rut of self-punishment.
3. Print the cards and stick them in your wallet.
4. What is this experience like for you?