Slow Fade

  We all have our core values. The standard to which we hold everything up to. We have our lists of what we would never choose to do. We look at those around us who don't share our values and vow to never become like that. Then life happens.
  It starts with a thought. A lapse of self control. A second look. A slip of the tongue. A surrender to the pressure. It could be a judgmental opinion. An outburst of anger. A curiosity. An unkind word. One hit on a bottle. We tell ourselves that it won't happen again, but find that the next time it becomes a little easier. Then it becomes habitual.
 We begin to reason. Justify. Minimize. Until eventually, if we don't make the conscious effort to regroup, we lose sight of our original values, and in the process we lose sight of our own value. We get caught up in the slow fade. We look in the mirror and think again about those core values, but we no longer recognize the person staring back at us.
  We become disappointed. Disillusioned. Miserable. We need to be reminded of who we are in Christ. Not to condemn us, but to draw us back to the truth. We can then be in a place of conviction. Not to make us feel guilty, but to motivate us to re-examine our values because of our value. As we lean on His grace and mercy we can allow Him to guide us back to His heart. Right where we have wanted to be all along.