Relationships: Just Try

So in recent months I have met a few new people in which my initial reaction was not good.

In some way or another I struggled with them and didn’t quite “click”.  I found myself really putting a wall up because of this.  

Well in the past week I have found that I actually somewhat enjoy one of the persons. Through that and a great sermon from church Sunday morning I want to say something to you and to my future self…

Just Try.

Often times when it comes to others we want to judge or respond so quickly when really we should just give it some time, we should just try to have relationship before we make a decision about somebody.

What I have learned is that one person in particular is difficult for me because they are like me…they do things that I have to fight against doing on a DAILY basis. That makes me struggle both with them and with myself. But when I stop to think about it and when I try with them I find a few things that are needed. 

First: I need to be aware of those things in me and be aware that I need to keep fighting them, what better way than being irritated by them in someone else. It gives me great insight into what others feel when they are around me so I can be more aware.

Second: What if everyone who met me never tried to get past my annoyances and my humanness…well I doubt I would have a single relationship.

Third: I would miss out on the good parts about others.

I am finding that there are some things that I really like and enjoy about this person and that ultimately I have been placed in their life and them in mine for reasons that I may never know anything about. Ultimately I am placed in their live to be a light and to love them. Period. But beyond that, if I just try then I may find a friendship that I would not have expected (that is yet to be seen, but is a possibility.)

So when it comes to relationships (not of the romantic kind) I say….Just Try. 

You never know what blessings will come out of it or what learnings.

I am learning that I have a lot of work yet to do in me and that is always a good thing to remember. None of us are finished yet. We are not finished working on ourselves or finished loving others no matter how hard it may be.

Comparison is a Thief & Liar

Comparison is a thief of joy and life.

When we begin to compare ourselves to others we are ultimately ripping away the good things that God us given us individually.

Comparison is an ugly and devastating thief and liar.

Comparison lies and says that what someone else has is better or makes them better. Oh dear children of God…WHAT A LIE. 

God does not make mistakes. He did not make a mistake with you. The color of your hair, the build of your body, the place you are in. 

What we must do is:

1.       Take responsibility for ourselves. If we don’t like our body…are we treating God’s creation right? If we don’t like the place we are in…are we listening to God and in His will alone?

2.       STOP! Stop looking outside of our Creator for happiness and joy and life. STOP! JUST STOP!

3.       Be Sweet. Be sweet to and about yourself. Be sweet to and about others. 

I find there are two main ways that we use the thief and liar that is comparison. 

1.       To make ourselves MISERABLE!! When we choose to believe the lie that what others have is better that what we have we absolutely make ourselves miserable. Stop and focus on God in your life and where He has you and get real with Him and just LEAVE OTHERS OUT OF IT. It truly is just between you and God!

2.       To make ourselves “Feel Better”. This is when we look at others and think, hhmmm at least I am doing this better or at least I have this and they don’t. We think that we are making ourselves feel better doing that, but oh NO NO NO don’t you be deceived dear child of God; for that too is a LIE! Our lives were not meant to be compared to others! We were all created by God with our own purposes and plans and God did NOT make a mistake with us or them!

 No we were created to PREACH THE GOSPEL to SHARE GOD’S GREAT LOVE AND SALVATION!

That is the business we should be attending to and I believe if we are at our Father’s business then…

1.       We won’t have time to waste comparing ourselves to others

2.       We will find joy and contentment that we never knew could exist!

3.       We will find a love for ourselves and others that God created us to have!

COMPARISON IS A THEIF AND A LIAR.  Sweet child of God (talking to me here) DO NOT BE DECEIVED! Take your eyes off them and you and put them on HIM!! Focus on being about our Father’s business!