you just can't always know how people will react to a scenario // You think you know people, like really really know them, and then they do something to make you go, Huh? Didn't see that coming. People have all sorts of factors, internal and external, that contribute to the decisions they make in any given moment. They are complex beings, and will forever surprise us, and challenge us to better understand them.
and that's what living in community looks like // When God made humans, the crowning glory of his creation, he made us all different. On purpose. Because one day, he would use those differences to refine us. Those differences force us to exercise compassion and empathy and forgiveness, and although it hurts, it's what pleases the Lord.
the flesh is hard to fight // It's easy to rant and rail about how selfish people are, question their motives, wonder about trusting them ever again, and fantasize about blowing up in their face. That's your flesh talking. But the hard thing, and usually the right thing, is the opposite of all of that, and following through on that will always be a battle against your flesh.
doing the right thing doesn't always yield immediate reward, and it might not yield earthly reward at all // I made a decision and followed through on what I believed to be the right decision, and just as I started to feel good about that, it bit me. There was some fallout that was not earth-shattering, but enough to make me angry, and very aware that doing the right thing hardly ever leads to warm and fuzzy feelings.
keep some wise people around you to affirm those right decisions // When you're feeling not-so-warm-and-fuzzy, and defeated, and telling yourself that the world is a terrible place, it's important to have some cheerleaders in your corner for pep talks. And those people probably were the ones to encourage you to the do the right thing in the first place. They are winners. Work hard at having them around.
Being an adult is hard sometimes. What lessons have been your hardest to learn?
and that's what living in community looks like // When God made humans, the crowning glory of his creation, he made us all different. On purpose. Because one day, he would use those differences to refine us. Those differences force us to exercise compassion and empathy and forgiveness, and although it hurts, it's what pleases the Lord.
the flesh is hard to fight // It's easy to rant and rail about how selfish people are, question their motives, wonder about trusting them ever again, and fantasize about blowing up in their face. That's your flesh talking. But the hard thing, and usually the right thing, is the opposite of all of that, and following through on that will always be a battle against your flesh.
doing the right thing doesn't always yield immediate reward, and it might not yield earthly reward at all // I made a decision and followed through on what I believed to be the right decision, and just as I started to feel good about that, it bit me. There was some fallout that was not earth-shattering, but enough to make me angry, and very aware that doing the right thing hardly ever leads to warm and fuzzy feelings.
keep some wise people around you to affirm those right decisions // When you're feeling not-so-warm-and-fuzzy, and defeated, and telling yourself that the world is a terrible place, it's important to have some cheerleaders in your corner for pep talks. And those people probably were the ones to encourage you to the do the right thing in the first place. They are winners. Work hard at having them around.
Being an adult is hard sometimes. What lessons have been your hardest to learn?
Oh, this would have been something good for me to read about 2 weeks ago. But I am cheering you in your corner! You rock.
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