Article December 9, 1991 ISSUE

Yielding to God: an "I" for an "i"

William Welsh Holland

While animatedly catching up with an old acquaintance, you get careless and betray a confidence, something you'd promised to keep to yourself. In a flare-up of self-justification during a domestic spat, you dredge up some old grievance. Even as the words tumble out of your mouth, you wish you could reel them back in. Mentally shaking your head afterward, you ask yourself, "How many times do I have to fall into that trap?"

All too often when we've given in to the repetition of some grave or even seemingly harmless mistake, the temptation is to get so down on ourselves that we sap the very confidence needed to face the next challenge. Equally unconstructive is the tendency to respond, "Well, I guess that's just the way I am!" and hope our friends and relatives will remember our good points and either overlook or adapt to our shortcomings.

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