Open Lives
...Repent (change the inner man to meet God's will) and do the works you did previously [when you first knew the Lord],...
Rev. 2:5 Amplified Bible
When I first gave my life to Jesus, I let go of all my old way of thinking. I equate it to spring cleaning since it was spring at the time. I became an empty vessel for God to fill. Maybe it was the newness of our relationship or maybe I was so desperate for help but either way, I was totally focused on God. I was like a sponge trying to absorb and fill myself with the knowledge in God's word and I did not seem to notice faults in other people. Somewhere along the way though, I forgot how miserable my old way of thinking made me feel and I fell back into the old pattern of judging and criticizing people based on "my" opinions and thoughts. Letting our thoughts run wild is wrong on many levels but today I am struck by how self-limiting our own opinions can be.
I'm not sure we realize how constricting our judgments of other people, for any reason, can be. When we live by what "we think" instead of God's word, we confine ourselves to a small place and produce nothing but frustration. We separate ourselves from the very people Jesus came to save.
God wants us to live without limits. He wants us to do great and mighty things but we cannot do them when we live by what our own thoughts and feelings. We will not see the fruit of the Spirit as described in Gal. 6:22-23 unless we learn to stop expecting people to live by our rules and simply love them like Jesus. Love opens us up to God opportunities that will improve the lives of the people around us as well as our own lives.
Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!
2 Cor. 6:13 The Message
An open life can only be achieved when we let go of our judgements and embrace God instead. The life of Jesus is our standard. He lived a life completely open to God and He did many wondrous things. Like Jesus we, too, must purpose to live the limitless life God has planned for us.
If our thoughts are not lining up with God's word, we shrink our world and our ability to impact it. Live life open to God instead of closed by your opinions.
Heidirn
Rev. 2:5 Amplified Bible
When I first gave my life to Jesus, I let go of all my old way of thinking. I equate it to spring cleaning since it was spring at the time. I became an empty vessel for God to fill. Maybe it was the newness of our relationship or maybe I was so desperate for help but either way, I was totally focused on God. I was like a sponge trying to absorb and fill myself with the knowledge in God's word and I did not seem to notice faults in other people. Somewhere along the way though, I forgot how miserable my old way of thinking made me feel and I fell back into the old pattern of judging and criticizing people based on "my" opinions and thoughts. Letting our thoughts run wild is wrong on many levels but today I am struck by how self-limiting our own opinions can be.
I'm not sure we realize how constricting our judgments of other people, for any reason, can be. When we live by what "we think" instead of God's word, we confine ourselves to a small place and produce nothing but frustration. We separate ourselves from the very people Jesus came to save.
God wants us to live without limits. He wants us to do great and mighty things but we cannot do them when we live by what our own thoughts and feelings. We will not see the fruit of the Spirit as described in Gal. 6:22-23 unless we learn to stop expecting people to live by our rules and simply love them like Jesus. Love opens us up to God opportunities that will improve the lives of the people around us as well as our own lives.
Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!
2 Cor. 6:13 The Message
An open life can only be achieved when we let go of our judgements and embrace God instead. The life of Jesus is our standard. He lived a life completely open to God and He did many wondrous things. Like Jesus we, too, must purpose to live the limitless life God has planned for us.
If our thoughts are not lining up with God's word, we shrink our world and our ability to impact it. Live life open to God instead of closed by your opinions.
Heidirn
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