Dying to self has been one of the hardest things I could do in my life. Praying three quarters of the day is getting harder. Reading the word has been replaced with distractions. The life of a believer in Christ is one of struggle and discipline. Struggles reminds us that we are not perfect but are human beings with flaws. Discipline shows us how far we have come in our walk in Christ. Storms, tides, trials, and tribulations are all the same to me. One could say that I have learned to adapt to the shifting of atmospheres and environments without complaining.
Temptation of the heart, mind, and soul is a battlefield I fight on daily. Sexual arousal bites my flash the same way lungs need oxygen. My eyes lust after the possessions of others. Dealing with temptations is like playing chess with thoughts and emotions. I am not here to tell people how to fight their temptation. All I am doing is laying my faults before the throne of grace. To each his own.
I may not be nosy, but I do have lingering ears and eyes. A conversation can be taking place a mile away and I can hear every word that is being spoken. Walking past a situation will be imprinted in my mind for the rest of the day, eventually leaving 24 hours later. One of my New Year's resolutions has been to linger less. Hopefully, I will master this to the point where other people's conversation will not matter and whatever crosses my eyes will not take hold of me. My focus will only be towards the things that concern me, myself and I.
Proverbs 16:18 (ESV) reads, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." Growing up I was never the cocky type, but I wore a chip on my shoulder. A chip on your shoulder does not mean that you walk around as If you know it all. It means that you are reminded of how much God has brought you through. I need to learn and digest this. In the past I had forgotten that the source of my gifts, skills, and talents was the Lord. I had to fall short in order to submit to the Lord and be restructured and put in my place. I would not trade the life I have now for anything that is out in the world.
Idols have been another barrier that I placed between myself and the Lord. Musicians to politicians were placed between me and God. As I got deeper in my walk with Christ the less idols I would kneel down to. I had forgotten that those same people that I put on pedestals were human like me. The meaning of what a public figure is has changed since 2020. "Ratchetness" is not desirable anymore and the world is yearning for the substantial offerings that life has to give. I am so thankful for this realization.
Adaptation has been a task that I have been forced to master. It is as If I have learned to embrace harsh winter winds and soothing summer breezes at the same time. At the tender age of twenty-one I learned that sometimes you do not control the output of the decisions you make. You just have to prepare for the results. Because I taught myself how to adapt early lessons I have learned came to me quicker. Thick skin and steady eyes would become my motto for the life that I wanted to live. I do not call myself telling people what to do with their lives. All I am saying is that one must choose wisely and play your deck of cards right.
Giving birth to new things can only come through conflict and friction. Conflict brings forth confrontation. Friction brings forth movement. Uncomfortable situations help us grow. When we grow, we develop the skills we need to succeed. When we succeed, we accomplish our goals and missions at hand. Achieving goals and completing missions causes others to try their best and do for themselves.
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