One of those days today. You know the ones. Where you dread going into work, where you dread conversations that are bound to come up, where you've gotten involved in something that you just rather you didn't. Yup. I had a couple of those days lately.
I'm referring to conflict in our daily lives, about attitudes, about other people affecting our position in life, in our beliefs, in our motives, in our reactions. What do we do about them? What can we do to ease the pain of our daily lives somehow? What do we do with those people who just rub us the wrong way? Well, one thing is for sure, and that is Jesus Christ is the only way out of any of these difficult times.
What if Jesus was watching me today. What would he have thought. Would he be proud of me or would he once again bow his head and hope I came to him with a heavy burdened heart about the situation I just got involved in. He sent us His Holy Spirit, to live inside of all of us. For us to use in making decisions in our daily lives, especially for when conflict arises with others.
We are to turn the other cheek, love our enemies right? Well, that is easier said than actually done. So I am left with a "plank" in my eye, and before I go to my brethern and point out the "spec" in their eye, I must first deal with my own shortcomings. And because I am a believer in our Lord, Jesus Christ, and that He specifically died for the forgiveness of our sins, then I too have the Holy Spirit convicting me of my wrongs.
I can't tell you how much I want to be right. The world is a difficult place to be sometimes. But what if our only blessings came from our pain and suffering here. What if we could only grow in our strength in our Saviour by going through trials and tribulations. James 1:2-3. Living with humility is well... humiliating.
I know that I need to go and apologize and ask for forgiveness from these people in my life. That is not what I want to do. But it is what God tells me to do, and I must be obedient. I must. I can only then go to the Lord in prayer and ask his forgiveness. He tells us that if we have a problem with a brethern, to first go and correct our situation with him, and then come to the alter for our sacrifice to Him, and with our prayer to Him. (sigh) I am not looking forward to this in the slightest.
I must keep my focus on the Lord. These people do not rule me. They can beat me and persecute me but they will not own me or my soul. I have promised this to God. And I will tell them that by the grace of God himself do I stand before them and apologize, for nothing within my own self can give me the strength to do this, but only God Himself can help me now. Philippians 4:13.
Pray for me.
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