Let Live part 2
I've never been so frustrated in my life as when I tried to make somebody be who I thought they should be. Because, at the end of the day, people are going to be who they believe they are. What you do flows from what you believe. What you believe is inside WILL come out. Naturally. Automatically. So even if you're trying to elevate someone... anytime you try to modify behavior from the outside-in you're setting THEM up for failure, and you're setting YOURSELF up for frustration and disappointment. Because even if you're trying to elevate someone, you usually end up condemning them. You see something you don't like, something you want to change, and you attack it. But love doesn't demand its (HIS) own way. Love doesn't condemn. There is no condemnation in Christ. We don't have to change people. We are simply called to love people. And love doesn't worry about who you are or what you're doing. Because love knows love is all you need. Love knows that just by showing up... He can make all the difference in the world. And let me tell you something: When someone is, how can I say this politely, acting a fool... and you show them nothing but unconditional love and support (And I'm NOT saying you need to support what they're doing. There are things in this life that you absolutely should not stand for)... remember when we were talking about people crying because they don't know what else to do? I think sometimes when someone is expecting you to kick them when they're down, and instead you reach down and help them up, I think sometimes people don't know what to do in that situation either. Its like love is too good to be true. When really love is so good that is MUST be true. Love IS the truth. The ultimate truth of the universe; God is love and He loves you. The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hands. So the truth is... we have everything we need. God wanted the best for us so He gave the best to US. He gave His Spirit to us, so that we might know and beileve the love He has always had for us. Because the cross did not turn us into someone that God could love. God always has and always will love us. The cross turned us into someone who could RECEIVE His love. That's what the Holy Spirit--the Spirit of Truth--is. It (HE) is the love receptor. And that's so vitally important because you can't give what you don't have. And you can only give what you do have. So when you receive God's love... you can release it. You can stop worrying about what people are doing and you can just love them. You can live and let live. You can let people be who they are, instead of trying to make them be who you think they should be. You can let people learn and grow. Make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. More is learned by mistakes than by success. Sometimes you have to do it wrong before you can do it right. You have to learn to crawl before you can walk. Baby steps. And sometimes it is two steps forward and one step back. That's ok. Its still progress. Living is about loving. Learning and growing. Letting people be who they are even while they are finding out who they are. Loving people no matter what. Giving people what they need. Because you know and believe that you have what they need!