By The mistake wasn’t obvious, unless you were me.
In the middle of my months‑long DIY stair renovation, I noticed one step sat ever‑so‑slightly off. Not enough for anyone else to notice. But enough that every time I saw it, my stomach tightened.
Yes, the way it looked annoyed me.
But what gnawed at me was how I could’ve done that. I had the tools. I had a level!
My inner dialogue kept accusing: You should’ve known better.
That’s a familiar feeling for many of us.
It doesn’t matter how big or small the mistake is.
We might be generous with grace toward others, yet ruthless with ourselves.
We might excuse their missteps because we see their stress, their history, their weaknesses.
But when it’s us? We skip compassion and go straight to blame.
As I replayed that stair mistake, the context came back into view.
I’d been working for hours. A tool had broken. I was tired and ready to be done. In other words, I was human.
Acknowledging the reality of that circumstance is what helped me give myself grace. And it might help you to do the same.
To be sure, giving yourself grace doesn’t mean denying responsibility. But it might mean accepting that you did the best you could with what you had.
It certainly means remembering that you’re human.
I once heard it said, “Nobody gets where they are all by themselves.”
Fatigue, pressure, fear, past experiences—all of it shapes and influences you.
God knows that better than anyone. And that’s one reason grace exists.
So, my friend, reject the shame. Sure, you may have messed up, BUT that’s exactly why you have a Savior.
That’s not a cop-out, by the way. And it doesn’t keep you stuck. It allows you to stop beating yourself up and actually move forward.
Struggling to give yourself grace? My Living at Peace with Yourself series was created to help you make peace with your story and find real rest. Get all 6 messages today for your donation of any amount.