When I heard someone say, “God does not make junk,” on our Marriage
Encounter Experience, I was stunned.
I’d never heard that before, but I knew it must be true. To me, that meant that no matter how self-critical I am, no matter how often I see myself as less than perfect, I know that I am not junk. No one can tell me I am, and I should not tell myself that I am.
Don’t Judge Yourself
This happened on a Marriage Encounter Experience in 1980, and it is as vivid to me today as then. I still catch myself being very self-critical, but I stop and remind myself that I cannot be junk, to lift my head, stand up and walk tall again.
Don’t Judge Others
It is also important that I apply this concept to others I may meet or know — especially my wife. I can be pretty judgemental, and need to remember that because “God does not make junk,” I shouldn’t make that judgment about someone else I may find annoying or unappealing.
Free Yourself
On our Experience in 1980, I felt as if the cable that tied me to the huge boulder I was dragging had been cut, and I was free from that terrible weight. It was like walking from a dark cave into the sunlight.
Have you ever felt like something was weighing you down? Share those thoughts and feelings with your spouse so they can help you carry the weight, or get rid of it entirely!
Written by : Charlie Gray
Charlie and his wife, Melva, have been involved in Marriage Encounter as a presenting couple and in leadership positions since 1980. They live on a small acreage near Colorado Springs, have two daughters and three grandchildren, and love to travel and maintain and upgrade their property.
