I watched steam hover in the air as the mirror fogged. Hot water swirled like my thoughts before disappearing down the drain.
I had reached a breaking point. Jealousy and envy had plagued my heart for so long and I needed to be done with it. I’d brought the issue before God numerous times but the results never really seemed to be long lasting.
Have you ever been cut off from communication with a friend? What do you do if your attempts to reach them go unanswered? The temptation is to wonder what you did to offend them and think of reasons why they no longer want to talk to you. These are arguments from silence and you can create elaborate negative scenarios that have no real basis. Don’t be quick to assume the relationship is broken. There may be a more innocent explanation. How do you handle the same situation with me?
A man asked me one question and I gave him two answers. He asked what the greatest commandment was and I told him to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. So far so good. Yet I went on to say that the second commandment was similar to it, to love your neighbor as yourself. Why did I add this second commandment? Because it is too easy to claim you are following the first one in the abstract. The real demonstration of how well you keep it is shown in the love you have for your neighbor whom I also love. As my word also says, how can you love God whom you have not seen if you cannot love your brother whom you can see?
Do you have strong tastes and preferences? Nearly everyone does. Do not confuse these with your identity. I also encourage you to hold them with a loose grip, and not to criticize the preferences of others. For those without spiritual understanding think that they are the sum total of their preferences, so if you criticize these they take it personally. Then they are offended and you lose the chance to declare my Kingdom to them. Everyone likes their own best, but you cannot prove that yours are better. Hold yours gently, and firmly embrace the identity that you have in me.
Do you live in a country where you can vote? It is a privilege to exercise this civic duty, even if it is infrequent and you are not confident that your vote has much influence. Yet even if you live where you are unable to vote in a ballot box you can vote in the more profound ways that everyone can. You vote with your money every time you spend it, choosing some things to buy rather than others. You vote with your feet with every step you take, choosing where you will go and what you will do there. You vote with your words every time you speak, choosing what you affirm by what you say.
The following story is from Robin Little: I recently resumed my studies with CLU after a four year break. In the second lesson of the foundational course, How to Hear God's Voice, I had a question for my Instructor but she suggested I journal it instead. Here are my questions and Father God's surprising answers.
Remember that time God told you a joke? Maybe you do and maybe you don’t. Have you ever stopped to think on whether or not God even tells jokes? How about his laughter? Do you know what his laughter sounds like?
I remember one day walking home from our community pool. Outside of the refreshing water I was a drum the Florida sun beat on relentlessly. I sucked in some warm air and looked around. I had been thinking about the topic of God’s laughter and whether or not He had a sense of humor.
Have you heard the saying, ‘every man for himself’? In military terms this is the worst possible situation. It implies a complete collapse of unity, coherent and coordinated action, and command structure. It can be considered a disorganized surrender. Yet in the civilian world it is routinely accepted as a rule of life. There are military metaphors in my word and my church has been described as an army. Where do you think it is on the scale of command structure as opposed to every man for himself? Don’t be discouraged. I have things organized better than you may realize. I want to show you this so you can recognize it and act in obedience in unity.
Can you look back and see that you have grown in the faith since you first believed? You have a greater understanding of the truth. How has this affected your ability to relate to others? Did you have no reason or basis to judge others when you were first saved? Do you now? Your growth and maturity should make you more able to show compassion, understanding, and acceptance rather than less. Being judgmental is the default condition of humanity, but it takes on a particularly bad taste when it is acquired and developed through religious practices. True growth in me will not lead you into this self-righteous trap.
