Saturday, February 5, 2011

Perseverance and Enemies

Here is something I wrote (and posted on Facebook) June 11th, 2010. Sorry I haven't written the past two days -- life has just been busy! But as I sat, in the safety of my house on this lazy (!) Saturday morning, eating my cinnamon roll and egg, along with a cup of coffee in hand, I realized something: One man died so that millions could live. Christ died for my soul, and MILLIONS of others because we are His friend. Jesus tells us so, in John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." No love is greater than Christ's, who died for us. Who are we that He would be mindful of us? It is a privilege to be remembered -- the best we can do, is to remember Him and His law: to love. For with God's love, I can enter His house; "in reverance I bow down toward your holy temple" (Psalm 5:7). With that said, you can read what I wrote last summer below:

Perseverance and enemies are closely linked.

At first, I was like "wowwww those two go together?!" but when I thought about it, it's really just common knowledge. When our enemies test us and push us to our limits, we have to persevere through what they put us through, right?
To be honest, I'm not really a person with too many of what you might call "enemies" but I've learned a lot about perseverance.
Anyways, I had my little epiphamy on June 4th, 2010 about this ... at least I think that was the date ........ but whatever, it doesn't matter :P here are my thoughts from that evening:

I looked at some verses and I believe You want us always to treat our enemies with kindness and respect, no matter how much we may dislike them.

In Galatians 6:7, it says that "whatever one sows, that will he also reap." Thus, your enemies are sowing or creating in themselves what you despise in them. While it's easy to get frustrated, God calls us not to "grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap ... let us do good to everyone" (Galatians 6:9-10). In other words, if we treat others well, then we should "always [be] abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain" (1 Cor. 15:58).

Another piece of advice we can take comes from the book of Philippians. Paul says that we must forget what lies behind and strain forward for what lies ahead because Jesus is our goal. If we just fight the good fight, finish the face and keep up the faith, then surely no enemy can stand in the way (2 Tim. 4-7).

The first thing we can do regarding an "enemy" is to not regard him as an enemy. Instead, we should "warn him as our brother" (2 Thess. 3:13). Second, we should try to help stir our enemy to love and good works. How? As Hebrew 10:25 says, by "not neglecting to meet together ... but encouraging one another." Lastly (and thirdly), don't get tired!!!! Persevere. For you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. So keep in mind these three goals as you face trials, bumps, and enemies in the road of life:

1) They're not my enemy! (Tell yourself that until you say it in your SLEEP.)
2) Make an effort. (Attempt to reconcile things with someone -- no matter what the circumstance or who the person is. Don't run away from the problem -- meet it head on.)
3) Don't get weary. (Remember, true friends are good for those times :) :) :)

Hope this helped you like this helped me =)
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Truth. I wrote that last summer, and it still stands. God is truth. God is love. God is my best friend. He's the best at everything: The most loving, the most faithful, the most lovely, the most pure, the most powerful, the most .... everything good and perfect. So when I come across enemies, I pray that He gives me the love He has for us; the patience to let Him deal with His child like He has patience with me. In other words, my job is to love. His job is to judge. God, Your "love is better than life," may I love like You in everything to bring You glory (Psalm 63:3). For Your love reaches to the heavens and your faithfulness reaches to the skies! [Psalm 57:10] Now that's a caring God.

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