Matthew 22:37-39
And he said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your should and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Over the last few days, I've been reading, " The Kindness Challenge: Thirty Days to Improve Any Relationship". Shaunti Feldhahn is the author of this simple faith-based guide about how to strengthen relationships through active kindness and be filled with joy. I've been reading this book, little by little over the past week, really taking the time to allow the concepts to sink into my mind and soul. While reading it, I also love the daily verses given on the bible app. Yesterday morning Matthew 22:37-39 was the verse for the day and it couldn't have come at a better time.
So, Matthew 22:37 focuses on loving the Lord my God will all of my being. To do this means, I have to spend time with Him through prayer, reading of the Word and applying what I am learning to my life. When I am in tune with Him, things seem to go so much better each day.
However, Matthew 22:38 is what really struck me, "And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself".
I am very critical of myself. At bedtime, I find myself thinking about all of my interactions throughout the day, my thoughts, my words, my actions, my behaviors and quickly become down trodden by my lack of self control, quick judgement of others and defensive reactions toward others. I see where I did not show love and mercy to others. This leads to a lack of mercy, grace and love toward myself. If I do not quickly fight the negative thoughts in my head with God's Word and love, I will dwell on it while I sleep and wake up in flight or fight mode. I have to give those negative thoughts to the Lord, but too often I seem to grab a hold of those awful thoughts again and again.
I desperately want to feel good enough for God's grace, I want to do His will, I want to please Him and show His love to others, but I fail time and time again. I have told my husband on many occasions, God knows my heart, He knows I do not want to be negative toward others; I pray others see that I mean well and do not ever mean to cause harm.
The question becomes, do I extend the grace I desire from God to others? I pray every day for acceptance of myself the way God loves and accepts me. I abhor the feelings of inadequacy and the constant negative words I use on myself. If I do not like the thoughts I have about myself, and I pray that others do not think this way of me, why do I judge others? Why do I question their motives? Why do I belittle and gossip; focusing on others' weaknesses? I do not like it when I do it to myself and I surely would not want others to think or say those things to or about me! It's bad enough that I do it to myself.
I need to seek my self worth through the eyes of Christ. Those are the same eyes I need to see through when seeing others. Why would I choose to not give grace and mercy to others, when God has given me more than I deserve?
May God give me a heart of compassion, forgiveness, grace and mercy toward myself and others.
And he said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your should and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Over the last few days, I've been reading, " The Kindness Challenge: Thirty Days to Improve Any Relationship". Shaunti Feldhahn is the author of this simple faith-based guide about how to strengthen relationships through active kindness and be filled with joy. I've been reading this book, little by little over the past week, really taking the time to allow the concepts to sink into my mind and soul. While reading it, I also love the daily verses given on the bible app. Yesterday morning Matthew 22:37-39 was the verse for the day and it couldn't have come at a better time.
So, Matthew 22:37 focuses on loving the Lord my God will all of my being. To do this means, I have to spend time with Him through prayer, reading of the Word and applying what I am learning to my life. When I am in tune with Him, things seem to go so much better each day.
However, Matthew 22:38 is what really struck me, "And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself".
I am very critical of myself. At bedtime, I find myself thinking about all of my interactions throughout the day, my thoughts, my words, my actions, my behaviors and quickly become down trodden by my lack of self control, quick judgement of others and defensive reactions toward others. I see where I did not show love and mercy to others. This leads to a lack of mercy, grace and love toward myself. If I do not quickly fight the negative thoughts in my head with God's Word and love, I will dwell on it while I sleep and wake up in flight or fight mode. I have to give those negative thoughts to the Lord, but too often I seem to grab a hold of those awful thoughts again and again.
I desperately want to feel good enough for God's grace, I want to do His will, I want to please Him and show His love to others, but I fail time and time again. I have told my husband on many occasions, God knows my heart, He knows I do not want to be negative toward others; I pray others see that I mean well and do not ever mean to cause harm.
The question becomes, do I extend the grace I desire from God to others? I pray every day for acceptance of myself the way God loves and accepts me. I abhor the feelings of inadequacy and the constant negative words I use on myself. If I do not like the thoughts I have about myself, and I pray that others do not think this way of me, why do I judge others? Why do I question their motives? Why do I belittle and gossip; focusing on others' weaknesses? I do not like it when I do it to myself and I surely would not want others to think or say those things to or about me! It's bad enough that I do it to myself.
I need to seek my self worth through the eyes of Christ. Those are the same eyes I need to see through when seeing others. Why would I choose to not give grace and mercy to others, when God has given me more than I deserve?
May God give me a heart of compassion, forgiveness, grace and mercy toward myself and others.
Comments
Post a Comment