This week I am sharing a few additional thoughts relating to a post I did almost two years ago entitled, “Do Not Judge“. I encourage you to take a few minutes to read those original thoughts by clicking on the title; then stop back and read the rest of my thoughts here. (Or, it’s really okay if you read this first then click the link!) Continue reading “NOT JUDGING”
Tag: understanding
PEACE
One of the greatest gifts that Jesus left us is the
Gift of Peace….
…..a peace that can bring us joy and comfort despite our circumstances in this life.
This peace is a special gift and blessing made available to us as we continually seek Him in our lives.
To possess His peace is awesome and makes all the difference in our lives.
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Did you ever notice that once Jesus, in His resurrected state and before He ascended into Heaven at Pentecost, visited the disciples, He addressed them with the greeting, “Peace”?
–On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” –John 20:19 (NIV)
–Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” –John 20:21 (NIV)
–A week later His disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” –John 20:26 (NIV)
My thought is that in these verses Jesus is preparing His disciples to experience true peace that only comes from Him, not from this world, when He sends the Holy Spirit to them after He ascends into Heaven.
Photo credit by Glenn Franco Simmons under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
–All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. –John 14:25-27 (NIV)
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The peace we possess should not be based on our circumstances nor on what others think of us.
Yes, we all have troubles in this world, but God’s peace is triumphant over it all.
So, the next time you have a day or week where everything seems to go wrong…
…the kids are all sick
…you get a flat tire at the most inopportune time
…you oversleep and are late for work
…you find out you have some disease….
I hope you dig down deep within and cling to that true peace that only God can provide. The peace that surpasses all understanding. It is His peace that sustains us even during the troubled, hard times as long as we cling to Him. We need to stay close to Him and trust in His ways.
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Do you ever feel God’s peace in this beautiful world that He created for us……..
Photo credit by Jim Mullhaupt under Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
…in the beautiful sunset or rainbow that just took your breath away?
…in the sun rising slowly over the peaceful waters of the ocean?
These things remind me of the peace God offers that we can behold with our eyes.
Try each day to tap into that wonderful power of His peace!
Sunrise at Virginia Beach, VA
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. –Philippians 4:7 (NIV)
MISUNDERSTOOD
Have you ever felt like you’ve been misunderstood and that everything you said was not coming out right or taken how you intended it to be?
It seems like it happens a lot to me…whether in my family, at work, or with a friend.
I know so often my physical appearance or body language also lends itself to coming across one way, when that is not the way I intended or feel in my heart.
With our technological society these days, I know you take more of a chance that what you are typing might be misunderstood.. The reader might not be able to interpret your “tone of voice” or the expression you were trying to relay. There is even more of a risk that how you meant something to come out, may in fact, not come across that same way. Especially when I am communicating something via typing, whether at work or home, I find myself first thinking about what I want to say, the best way to try to say it, then proofing and rereading it to try to make sure it comes out the way I intended or to try to make it clear enough for the reader to understand what I’m trying to say or ask.
For me, it can be frustrating and even crushing if the person I’m in direct physical contact with, or the reader, doesn’t end up understanding it in the way it was intended, even after spending so much time trying to convey it in the way intended. I think it bothers me because I end up feeling misunderstood and in my heart, I want to be honest and sincere in my interactions, as well as represent Christ to others. I try to be genuine and don’t want to be fake or pretend I’m something that I’m not. Sharing the Lord’s goodness with all those I meet is important to me.
Photo credit by Dominic Scaglioni under Creative Common License (CC BY 2.0). Words added by hopetoinspireyou.wordpress.com
It was rather ironic that I ran across this quote this week:
“The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them.” –Ralph G. Nichols
I think this is true to a point..that we want to understand things in this life and that we want others to understand us. But, at the same time, I think we can’t always understand why some things happen, or we can’t comprehend why things are like they are. Being understood by others is a basic need for us because it gives us validation and helps us know we are really okay. To really understand another, it does require listening and maybe not adding our two cents. The other person may need someone to listen and understand, not judge them. It is truly how that person sees something or what they are feeling at the the time. Remembering that everyone has different life experiences that make them unique and shape the way they see things can help us understand someone a little better.
I am learning that if I end up being misunderstood, I just need to let it go. I need to keep trying my best to explain what I mean, and if the other person doesn’t see it that way, it’s okay. Maybe they are having a bad day and have their own “issues” that make them see something differently. I need to keep trying my best in being faithful and sincere.
The other thing I need to remember is that God is the only one who truly understands me and that is really the only thing that truly matters. God even understands me better than I understand myself! (I’ll add that sure is a relief!) That is because He made me and formed me. And, God knows my heart, what was trying to be communicated, and how it was being communicated. I only need to “answer” to Him.
And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. –1 Chronicles 28:9
DO NOT JUDGE
Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we were not so quick to judge one another, or even better yet, did NOT judge another?
We all have our own story, our own baggage, our own burdens. All of these things contribute to the person we are today. And, no two of us have had the exact experiences. These things may not be apparent to others and often times people may never know what we have been through.
Wouldn’t it be such a freeing thing that if you had an honest question about something, that you would be free to ask that to someone, and not have to worry if the person was going to think you were dumb or strange for asking your question?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we just accepted everyone as “normal” and a child of God, instead of making them feel so strange or different? Maybe they would never feel anxious or depressed ever again!
Or, if we wanted to try something out of the ordinary, that we could be free to do that without fear of repercussion?
Photo courtesy of Celestine Chua under Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA/2.0)
One day I had some honest questions about something, and I commented to the person that they were probably wondering if I was for real, meaning they were thinking, how could I not know the answers to the questions?
What a blessing and shock to me that the friend replied they did not judge me. That sure was an eye-opener to me! I am so thankful for that attitude that was shared with me. I never heard that response from anyone before. The friend referenced they felt that God did not want us to judge one another.
So, the next time you encounter someone who has a question that you think is something they should know, try not to pass judgment on them, but help them feel better about themselves and respect them with an honest answer. It may go a long way to improve their confidence.
Or, if you catch yourself starting to judge someone because they might not think exactly like you, think about how God made them special and that we are all unique in our own way, rather than passing judgment on them.
Luke 6:36 says, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.”