Forgiveness. Patience. Self-Control.
All things I've been learning constantly this week... and my whole life. I won't go into most of the details, but I will tell you this much- I prayed that God would work on me this summer, and He has been.
This week especially, I have been really seeing my sinful self come out in the area I struggle with the most- my mouth. I've dealt with difficult people many a time, and many a time I have failed in my reactions. What is it that gets me every time? Why do I feel the need to respond to people who test my patience and give them the satisfaction of setting my temper off? Why can't I just shut my mouth and be done with it? I think I needed this reminder that I still struggle with this and must continue to look to Christ as my source of patience and strength. In a way, I treasure moments like this, because it's in these miserable moments that I see how much I truly need a Savior. My pride? Oh, it's been stripped.
Regarding forgiveness- how do you forgive those who don't care if you forgive them or not?
...Oh wait *points to Jesus Christ*
Over and over I am reminded that Jesus forgives me, a sinner who turns her back on the God of the universe in order to please myself. Over and over I am reminded that this Jesus Christ not only forgives, but died in the place of those who do not want forgiveness.
Lord, give me the love it takes to sacrifice myself for those who don't care...
Patience and Self-Control? Well, it's probably good that this little issue is being addressed now in my life. Keeping my mouth shut.. this is the reaction I SHOULD have to people who really know how to bring out the temper in me, but rather what is my reaction? SNAP.
Mouth, why do you work so well? Can't we just.. put a muzzle on or something? Unfortunately, I don't think people would really react well to a muzzled girl walking around... "Who let her out of the asylum? *panic*"
It's interesting how our strengths can really be our weaknesses. I've never been the girl who needs prying open in order to get what's going on inside of me; expressing myself has never really been an issue for me. As you can see, this can be both a pro and a con wrapped in one. On the plus side, I am not really afraid of addressing issues that need to be addressed. Con wise- sometimes telling people how you feel about something isn't the best idea.
I definitely learned this the hard way junior high through sophomore year of high school. One mental note from sophomore year- most of the time people don't care whether you agree with them or not, and to tell them is to just feed an already unfriendly fire. The point is that it's not always my place to tell them that I find their arguments are incredibly illogical =P. Rather, my place is to love them. Unless someone is legitimately sinning, most of the stuff we argue about is ridiculous. What if they initiate it and continue to initiate it? Stay away from them. Walk away. This is one lesson I've recently been learning- sometimes it's better to stay completely away from the person rather than risk a purposeless argument which they will most likely initiate.
What have I been learning from all of this? Through these issues in my own life, I have been learning that through my weaknesses, Christ's strength shines through me. Instead of people seeing my successes, they see my failures being erased through Jesus Christ's successes. As Seven Places' song "Perspective" says, "It's when I'm stranded and empty handed I become dependent on You." My hall for next year's theme verse is 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10:
Anyway, I'm not sure why I decided to write on this, especially since it's not a new struggle for me (just a newly remembered struggle). Maybe someone needed to read this, or maybe I just needed to write it. Either way, here it is, written and posted. Happy Tuesday!
God Bless.
All things I've been learning constantly this week... and my whole life. I won't go into most of the details, but I will tell you this much- I prayed that God would work on me this summer, and He has been.
This week especially, I have been really seeing my sinful self come out in the area I struggle with the most- my mouth. I've dealt with difficult people many a time, and many a time I have failed in my reactions. What is it that gets me every time? Why do I feel the need to respond to people who test my patience and give them the satisfaction of setting my temper off? Why can't I just shut my mouth and be done with it? I think I needed this reminder that I still struggle with this and must continue to look to Christ as my source of patience and strength. In a way, I treasure moments like this, because it's in these miserable moments that I see how much I truly need a Savior. My pride? Oh, it's been stripped.
Regarding forgiveness- how do you forgive those who don't care if you forgive them or not?
...Oh wait *points to Jesus Christ*
Over and over I am reminded that Jesus forgives me, a sinner who turns her back on the God of the universe in order to please myself. Over and over I am reminded that this Jesus Christ not only forgives, but died in the place of those who do not want forgiveness.
Lord, give me the love it takes to sacrifice myself for those who don't care...
Patience and Self-Control? Well, it's probably good that this little issue is being addressed now in my life. Keeping my mouth shut.. this is the reaction I SHOULD have to people who really know how to bring out the temper in me, but rather what is my reaction? SNAP.
Mouth, why do you work so well? Can't we just.. put a muzzle on or something? Unfortunately, I don't think people would really react well to a muzzled girl walking around... "Who let her out of the asylum? *panic*"
It's interesting how our strengths can really be our weaknesses. I've never been the girl who needs prying open in order to get what's going on inside of me; expressing myself has never really been an issue for me. As you can see, this can be both a pro and a con wrapped in one. On the plus side, I am not really afraid of addressing issues that need to be addressed. Con wise- sometimes telling people how you feel about something isn't the best idea.
I definitely learned this the hard way junior high through sophomore year of high school. One mental note from sophomore year- most of the time people don't care whether you agree with them or not, and to tell them is to just feed an already unfriendly fire. The point is that it's not always my place to tell them that I find their arguments are incredibly illogical =P. Rather, my place is to love them. Unless someone is legitimately sinning, most of the stuff we argue about is ridiculous. What if they initiate it and continue to initiate it? Stay away from them. Walk away. This is one lesson I've recently been learning- sometimes it's better to stay completely away from the person rather than risk a purposeless argument which they will most likely initiate.
What have I been learning from all of this? Through these issues in my own life, I have been learning that through my weaknesses, Christ's strength shines through me. Instead of people seeing my successes, they see my failures being erased through Jesus Christ's successes. As Seven Places' song "Perspective" says, "It's when I'm stranded and empty handed I become dependent on You." My hall for next year's theme verse is 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10:
9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.Through my insufficiency, Jesus Christ's grace is sufficient. Through my weakness, Christ's strength is made perfect. In my infirmities, the power of Christ is able to transform me and mold me to be his beautiful creation. "For when I am weak, then I am strong." Those words hold a power which none can describe fully in words. An unbeliever cannot possibly understand this sense of peace in Jesus Christ. Rather than trying to be perfect in myself constantly and trying to be good enough on my own merit, the power of the blood of Jesus Christ has made me perfect. When I am weak, then I am strong.
Anyway, I'm not sure why I decided to write on this, especially since it's not a new struggle for me (just a newly remembered struggle). Maybe someone needed to read this, or maybe I just needed to write it. Either way, here it is, written and posted. Happy Tuesday!
God Bless.
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