Monday's Blessing
2 John 1:6
"And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love."
Got a co-worker, family, or friend who just downright annoys you?
These people just seem to get under our skin no matter how hard we try to put their ideologies at a distance. It's virtually impossible to keep them at arm's length. It seems they seek out the most trivial situation just to annoy us.
And they are all around us. We just can't get away from them. So what do we do? Especially when we take in John's message?
I remember years ago when I taught for the Catholic school system. I'd go to church on Sundays and the Priest would say, "Take a moment to say hello to other people around you."
I'd look down those rows nearest to me thinking, "That parent just made my job more difficult last week with a conference in the Principal's office. The last thing I want to do is shake his hand. How could he EVEN believe I'd do those things his child said!" God's strong sense impressing me that I should do that very thing made me walk over and smile and shake his hand. I wasn't totally sincere, but I was obedient to God.
Years later a new Priest came on the grounds. He was to be ordained as the new Pastor. He strode around with his arrogant nature, Birkenstock flapping where ever he went. He began leveling the place, firing older staff members with no warning, and keeping the younger ones as collateral. With this new population he preached the importance of tithing and concrete acceptance of God's word without question. His views were archaic not even allowing class decorating over Advent. We listened, and obliged taking all our Christmas decorations down. "Oh! how the children will suffer!" I lamented.
I was obedient, but I left. I found it too traumatic watching woman and nuns I taught with pack their bags and leave to unknown beginnings. These were not my personal ideologies. I moved to a new church with broader ideas on love and self-worth. There I found acceptance again and moved forward teaching God's word. I knew my place was with God always, it now was just in a different location.
We do not take steps of obedience and overcome difficult times because we feel like doing so or think obedience is a good idea. We do it because we love God, we know he loves us, and we want to obey him. We know He always knows the best for us.
Whatever adversities you are facing right now with individuals, I urge you to confront them. Learn to embrace them, and deal with them with God's guidance. Face them like a conqueror. A conqueror who still has the ability to love and accept. Remember, they are working fro your good, and God will use them to strengthen you. Embrace them, even if you don't like them, and you will find yourself in a greater maturity, wisdom, and ability than you've ever known.
This Week's Meditation:
Teach me to "love others."
Pray:
Help me to realize that giving up is not the answer.
Teach me to love others despite how they are making me feel.
Remind me to let things go and move forward keeping them in my prayers.
Meditate on this for several minutes a day. Allow various thoughts to come into your mind. And realize God has you in his arms always
2 John 1:6
"And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love."
Got a co-worker, family, or friend who just downright annoys you?
These people just seem to get under our skin no matter how hard we try to put their ideologies at a distance. It's virtually impossible to keep them at arm's length. It seems they seek out the most trivial situation just to annoy us.
And they are all around us. We just can't get away from them. So what do we do? Especially when we take in John's message?
I remember years ago when I taught for the Catholic school system. I'd go to church on Sundays and the Priest would say, "Take a moment to say hello to other people around you."
I'd look down those rows nearest to me thinking, "That parent just made my job more difficult last week with a conference in the Principal's office. The last thing I want to do is shake his hand. How could he EVEN believe I'd do those things his child said!" God's strong sense impressing me that I should do that very thing made me walk over and smile and shake his hand. I wasn't totally sincere, but I was obedient to God.
Years later a new Priest came on the grounds. He was to be ordained as the new Pastor. He strode around with his arrogant nature, Birkenstock flapping where ever he went. He began leveling the place, firing older staff members with no warning, and keeping the younger ones as collateral. With this new population he preached the importance of tithing and concrete acceptance of God's word without question. His views were archaic not even allowing class decorating over Advent. We listened, and obliged taking all our Christmas decorations down. "Oh! how the children will suffer!" I lamented.
I was obedient, but I left. I found it too traumatic watching woman and nuns I taught with pack their bags and leave to unknown beginnings. These were not my personal ideologies. I moved to a new church with broader ideas on love and self-worth. There I found acceptance again and moved forward teaching God's word. I knew my place was with God always, it now was just in a different location.
We do not take steps of obedience and overcome difficult times because we feel like doing so or think obedience is a good idea. We do it because we love God, we know he loves us, and we want to obey him. We know He always knows the best for us.
Whatever adversities you are facing right now with individuals, I urge you to confront them. Learn to embrace them, and deal with them with God's guidance. Face them like a conqueror. A conqueror who still has the ability to love and accept. Remember, they are working fro your good, and God will use them to strengthen you. Embrace them, even if you don't like them, and you will find yourself in a greater maturity, wisdom, and ability than you've ever known.
This Week's Meditation:
Teach me to "love others."
Pray:
Help me to realize that giving up is not the answer.
Teach me to love others despite how they are making me feel.
Remind me to let things go and move forward keeping them in my prayers.
Meditate on this for several minutes a day. Allow various thoughts to come into your mind. And realize God has you in his arms always
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