Walk a Different Street!

I ran across this in some of my studies on 'Recovery' and felt like it was something that needed to be shared.
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Autobiography in Five Short Chapters by Portia Nelson

I. I walk down the street.

There's a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost.....I am helpless;

it isn't my fault.

It takes forever to find a way out.

II. I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place;

but it isn't my fault.

It still takes a long time to get out.

III. I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in....it's a habit.
My eyes are open
I know where I am..

It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

IV. I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

V. I walk down a different street.

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Insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results. Lord, may we be ever mindful of the snares that are out there and not repeat mistakes again and again. Pastoring is often about getting people to go down a different street.