Religious & Spiritual Thoughts, not necessarily in order:
Sanctification: the state of growing in divine grace as a result of Christian commitment after baptism or conversion
God takes us as we are, right now. We do not have to “clean up” BEFORE He accepts us into His family.
Then, as we get more and more close to Him and His Will (sanctification), He will sort out what and who He wants us to be, which is FULLY and COMPLETELY OURSELVES and FULLY and COMPLETELY HIS. If that means that He wants certain actions and thoughts and feelings to change and develop in other directions, so be it. He will give us the opportunities and desires to change. That's transformation (and sanctification). If we live like God is real, He will transform our lives.
Drives me nuts when people elevate some sins other others.
Sin is all equal. There is no carnal sin or minor sin.
I'm not responsible for ‘correcting’ the attitudes and/or actions of people I don’t know. I have no authority in regards to a non-Christians person's sin life. I’m definitely not responsible for condemning people. However, I am responsible to gently advise, out of love, a possible alternative action or attitude.
Consider a non-Christian person who is harboring resentment in their heart. If you know this about them, you may be in a position or have an opportunity to suggest that resentment is really unhealthy. God’s wisdom says that resentment is not good. Truth is truth if a person is a Christian or not. Clinging to resentment ISN’T healthy. Consider, the only one you are hurting is yourself. Resentment colors your thoughts and actions.
I am responsible to encourage the people I do know to go with God.
I am responsible for gently giving advice and love to Christians whose actions (as far as I can understand) are not in line with God. This is because Christians are supposed to be accountable to each other. If we are called by God to try to help a Christian person "correct" habits or actions, we are supposed to do so out of love. And that goes both ways. My Christian family has a responsibility to help keep me in line, too.
Something I’ve had to think about:
I had a friend that hurt another friend. I realized I was angry with my first friend, even though the whole business had nothing to do with me and, in fact, the first friend and the second friend agreed to not put me in the middle and tell me all the play by play. Nevertheless, I was angry and started becoming resentful towards the first friend. When I talking about my feelings about the whole business with a very neutral party (a relative of Randy’s), I realized that my attitudes and actions towards the first friend had changed. I was argumentative, unsympathetic, I was pointing out their minor flaws to other mutual friends with a “see, there they goes again attitude”. I was a bit down and unhappy when around them, which made it difficult when I spent so much time with that person.
When I realized all this stuff, I was able to talk it out with my husband and his cousin. I told the second friend about it. I didn’t go to the first friend, because it was all in my head. I didn’t sin against them, I sinned against God by not forgiving. Plus, would have been awkward. Maybe I should tell them, but just I don’t know how that would be helpful.
Later, as I wrote the above a few months ago:
I feel better now. My heart doesn’t feel messed up with the viscous black tar of resentment.
My resentment in my heart was only hurting me.
It was their deal.
They had to sort it out.
I had to remember that.
Hard to remember that it was THEIR deal, when I want to reach out and pummel anybody who hurts a friend of mine. Doubly hard when one friend hurt another.
Also, I could not have known all the details. I’m know I knew most of the deal, but I can’t look into someone’s heart and mind and see where a person is coming form, their intentions, their pain.
Oi!
And that was Life Lesson Number: Some Large Number: Review. Again.
God takes us as we are, right now. We do not have to “clean up” BEFORE He accepts us into His family.
Then, as we get more and more close to Him and His Will (sanctification), He will sort out what and who He wants us to be, which is FULLY and COMPLETELY OURSELVES and FULLY and COMPLETELY HIS. If that means that He wants certain actions and thoughts and feelings to change and develop in other directions, so be it. He will give us the opportunities and desires to change. That's transformation (and sanctification). If we live like God is real, He will transform our lives.
Drives me nuts when people elevate some sins other others.
Sin is all equal. There is no carnal sin or minor sin.
I'm not responsible for ‘correcting’ the attitudes and/or actions of people I don’t know. I have no authority in regards to a non-Christians person's sin life. I’m definitely not responsible for condemning people. However, I am responsible to gently advise, out of love, a possible alternative action or attitude.
Consider a non-Christian person who is harboring resentment in their heart. If you know this about them, you may be in a position or have an opportunity to suggest that resentment is really unhealthy. God’s wisdom says that resentment is not good. Truth is truth if a person is a Christian or not. Clinging to resentment ISN’T healthy. Consider, the only one you are hurting is yourself. Resentment colors your thoughts and actions.
I am responsible to encourage the people I do know to go with God.
I am responsible for gently giving advice and love to Christians whose actions (as far as I can understand) are not in line with God. This is because Christians are supposed to be accountable to each other. If we are called by God to try to help a Christian person "correct" habits or actions, we are supposed to do so out of love. And that goes both ways. My Christian family has a responsibility to help keep me in line, too.
Something I’ve had to think about:
I had a friend that hurt another friend. I realized I was angry with my first friend, even though the whole business had nothing to do with me and, in fact, the first friend and the second friend agreed to not put me in the middle and tell me all the play by play. Nevertheless, I was angry and started becoming resentful towards the first friend. When I talking about my feelings about the whole business with a very neutral party (a relative of Randy’s), I realized that my attitudes and actions towards the first friend had changed. I was argumentative, unsympathetic, I was pointing out their minor flaws to other mutual friends with a “see, there they goes again attitude”. I was a bit down and unhappy when around them, which made it difficult when I spent so much time with that person.
When I realized all this stuff, I was able to talk it out with my husband and his cousin. I told the second friend about it. I didn’t go to the first friend, because it was all in my head. I didn’t sin against them, I sinned against God by not forgiving. Plus, would have been awkward. Maybe I should tell them, but just I don’t know how that would be helpful.
Later, as I wrote the above a few months ago:
I feel better now. My heart doesn’t feel messed up with the viscous black tar of resentment.
My resentment in my heart was only hurting me.
It was their deal.
They had to sort it out.
I had to remember that.
Hard to remember that it was THEIR deal, when I want to reach out and pummel anybody who hurts a friend of mine. Doubly hard when one friend hurt another.
Also, I could not have known all the details. I’m know I knew most of the deal, but I can’t look into someone’s heart and mind and see where a person is coming form, their intentions, their pain.
Oi!
And that was Life Lesson Number: Some Large Number: Review. Again.