Do you ever want to just get ugly with someone? Sometimes people are rude, unthoughtful or just down right mean. Sometimes we deserve the way they treat us, but sometimes we don't. It can be a struggle for me to deal with difficult people, 'cause there is a part of me that REALLY wants to get ugly with them!
The thing is, I am serious about my commitment to Christ and I know that gettin' ugly isn't really an option. Jesus doesn't like ugly! 1 Peter 3:9 says, "Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."
Okay, so I won't get ugly. But, what if my feelings are still hurt! What if I really did not deserve the way I was treated. Usually, what I really want to do is sit and sulk about it for awhile. Unfortunately, that isn't an option either. Ephesians 4:32 says "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
So, what I really have to do is forgive them. Be kind to them, even though they may not deserve it. Be compassionate towards them. Everyone has struggles. If someone is hurting me, they have a reason, even if it has nothing to do with me. Happy people don't go around hurting others purposefully!
When it is hard to forgive someone, I pray. I pray for that person every time the negative feelings come into my heart. Eventually, all the negativity does turn to compassion and love for that person. Sometimes I have to repeat the process all over when they hurt me again!
The important thing is that when you honor Christ with your mouth, you must also honor Him with your actions. It is never easy and I fail many times, but I am serious about my commitment. When I fail, I try again. There will always be unjust people in this world. The truth is, I'm not responsible for their actions. I'm only responsible for my own.
Thank you, Lord for your magnificent Word that ALWAYS has an answer for all of my needs! Thank you for your Spirit that convicts me when I am out of line. Thank you for the people that test me. These people make me lean on You, and the more I lean on You, the stronger I am! I love you, Lord! Help me to always keep your Word in my heart, so that it will light my paths! Amen.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Love & Confidence
I have been a little down lately. I made a commitment to live a better life for Christ a while back. Unfortunately, I am not always good at that! I have been grumpy and impatient lately. I have been stressed and too busy and too worried. I've been snappy. Sometimes downright mean! I haven't written a blog in 2 weeks and I haven't read the Word every single day like I said I was going to. I have been feeling like God was frowning at me and my self-confidence has been quite low.
This morning, when I finally got to be alone for the first time in almost a week, I just wanted to sit and pray and read the Bible. I wanted to tell Him how sorry I am. I asked Him to lead me to the scripture that I needed at that moment.
Suddenly, "1 Corinthians" popped in my head. I have not studied this book much, but I did remember that the 13th chapter is the chapter about love. "Love is patient, love is kind..It is not easily angered and it keeps no record of wrongs...It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." This is how God expects us to act toward one another, but another thought also occurred to me: There is another verse that says "God is love." (1 John 4:8).
God IS love. He doesn't just have love towards us. He IS love. In other words, God is patient. God is kind. He is not easily angered and He keeps no record of wrongs (if you have asked for forgiveness). God always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres. AMEN!
He isn't mad at me. He isn't frowning at me. He loves me, unconditionally. I can never be good enough or bad enough to sway His feelings towards me. He loves me just like I am.
Not only that, He also has this same feeling towards the people that I find hard to love. He loves them, unconditionally and He's not mad at them. So, why should I be? Surely, if the Creator of the world loves them, then I am not too good to forgive and love them, also.
I don't know if I am like most Christians or not, but I want to be perfect and I am really hard on myself when I'm not! I feel like the world is watching, waiting to pounce on the least little imperfection. There is nothing I can do about what the world thinks of me. But, I can learn to have more confidence in myself. I am not perfect and I never will be, but God loves me anyway! He thought I was worthy. He bought me with a price. Why should I doubt His judgement?
Thank you, Lord, for time alone with you this morning. Help me to always remember that you chose me just as I am. I don't have to be perfect to be loved by You. Give me the confidence that can only be found in You. Help me to not worry about the world's opinion of me. Yours is the only opinion that matters! Help me to cast aside my worldly worries and put all of my confidence in You. Remind me of this daily, Lord, because I need it! In Jesus's most precious name I pray, Amen.
This morning, when I finally got to be alone for the first time in almost a week, I just wanted to sit and pray and read the Bible. I wanted to tell Him how sorry I am. I asked Him to lead me to the scripture that I needed at that moment.
Suddenly, "1 Corinthians" popped in my head. I have not studied this book much, but I did remember that the 13th chapter is the chapter about love. "Love is patient, love is kind..It is not easily angered and it keeps no record of wrongs...It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." This is how God expects us to act toward one another, but another thought also occurred to me: There is another verse that says "God is love." (1 John 4:8).
God IS love. He doesn't just have love towards us. He IS love. In other words, God is patient. God is kind. He is not easily angered and He keeps no record of wrongs (if you have asked for forgiveness). God always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres. AMEN!
He isn't mad at me. He isn't frowning at me. He loves me, unconditionally. I can never be good enough or bad enough to sway His feelings towards me. He loves me just like I am.
Not only that, He also has this same feeling towards the people that I find hard to love. He loves them, unconditionally and He's not mad at them. So, why should I be? Surely, if the Creator of the world loves them, then I am not too good to forgive and love them, also.
I don't know if I am like most Christians or not, but I want to be perfect and I am really hard on myself when I'm not! I feel like the world is watching, waiting to pounce on the least little imperfection. There is nothing I can do about what the world thinks of me. But, I can learn to have more confidence in myself. I am not perfect and I never will be, but God loves me anyway! He thought I was worthy. He bought me with a price. Why should I doubt His judgement?
Thank you, Lord, for time alone with you this morning. Help me to always remember that you chose me just as I am. I don't have to be perfect to be loved by You. Give me the confidence that can only be found in You. Help me to not worry about the world's opinion of me. Yours is the only opinion that matters! Help me to cast aside my worldly worries and put all of my confidence in You. Remind me of this daily, Lord, because I need it! In Jesus's most precious name I pray, Amen.
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