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.When I listen to people I hear and understand their frustrations, disappointments, anger, and hurt. I recognize it and relate to it because I have felt (and been overwhelmed by) many of those same feelings.
But the truth is that we are the only ones who can let those emotions overwhelm us and cause us to act in ways that we don't want to. We say things sometimes that hurt and can leave scars on the ones who heard it and on ourselves. These feelings and actions profoundly change us, our relationships and our little corner of the world. Minding our emotions and behaviors is big business. This is how I have determined to Live Inside Out during these times: When someone has disappointed me I realize that I don't have any right to judge someone else. I am to hold them and my expectations of them in open hands. They don't owe me anything and the only thing I owe them is to love them. That can be a full-time job, but as you exercise that muscle of grace it becomes easier. When someone has said or done something cruel or hurtful to me I have a choice: Join them in the pit or step away. If you join them in the pit you have to slug it out and you become exhausted, frustrated, and may never get out of those feelings. If you step away and use your strength to ask God to bless them, you can have your strength renewed, your hope restored, and an exciting expectation for what is to come. You don't have to do anything else as you are free from that hurt. You get to be whoever you choose to be in any given situation, no matter what someone else is or isn't doing. Choose to behave in a way and treat them in a way that you can live at peace with yourself. Choose lovingly, choose wisely, choose courageously, choose kindly. Try it. If it doesn't seem like it is working, try it again. You can do it. See what miracles happen. |