Self Destruction

Jeremiah 44

What self destructive habit have I had the greatest struggle with? God favors obedience over sacrifice.  Lord I confess any excuses that I have made for my harmful attitudes or habits towards others. Lord I thank you for allowing me to see another day. Another day to get it right.

I have many challenges in my daily life. I encounter many people who are dealing with their own agendas. I thank you that I am not like the child in my class who came to us after spending time on the streets selling her body. Lord this is a child, twelve, maybe,  thirteen years old. Father God I have never sold my body but I feel for those who have. The feelings of worthlessness that they must feel. This young girl now has to try and fit in with peers who have not had this experience. She struggles to find her identity now. She struggles to find herself now. She's too mature in some ways and immature in other ways.  Lord I pray for the adults who have to deal with children that have made adult decisions and are now bearing the consequences. My students have many challenges. None seem greater than their spirit of self destruction and self hatred.

Breaking through those misconceptions are the hardest. Today Lord, I know I will be challenged, again, but let my responses be appropriate and helpful. Let me be under control and assertive.Allow me to see clearly what needs to be done in the situation. Let me follow your will and your way in the decisions that I make today. Keep me honest, keep me humble, keep me remorseful. Allow me to see my own self destructive habits. Keep a watchful eye on me and my decisions today. Guide me through this maze. Prayer is a great source of comfort, but I know faith without works is dead. Lord as I talk to you and walk with you,  on my journey, guide me and let me know what your will for my classroom is. How to respond to their vast number of needs. How to increase their learning ability. The needs of the administration. Three more weeks for this school year Lord, then on to the next. What lessons have we learned from this year? How do we avoid the same mistakes? How do we coach the students to not make the same mistakes over and over again? How do we establish change that is long lasting? One step at a time. Lord the adults have to change as well. We all must rise to the occasion and do our part to allow them to be successful.