What Would Jesus Do? He Would Love First

Have you ever had someone betray your trust? I'm not just talking about some random stranger on the street; an important individual of who you deeply value their opinions. Recently, I have dealt with a ridiculous amount of drama (does anyone else feel like drama just follows them wherever they go??). Anyways, I've had to make some tough decisions that in the end have helped me grow in my relationship with God TREMENDOUSLY.  I have learned that you need to pay attention to the red flags people give off; and if you are having trouble deciphering what the right decision is, talk to God! Usually when something feels off or like it probably isn't a bad idea, listen to that! The Lord gave us intuition for a reason... use it! When all else fails... P R A Y. Prayer is honestly one of my favorite things in the world, I know that might sound cheesy, but it’s true. Prayer is one of the many ways we can communicate with God, and any little prayer can have a major impact. And even when we are hurt by other people, we have to think "what would Jesus do?" "But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you" ~ Matthew 5:44. Basically, we need to love others regardless of what they have done to wrong us. That also means praying for them too; there is a reason behind their needs to bring others down. Sometimes, they are hurting inside more than they portray, and praying for them could help them in a big way.

If your answer to my initial question is yes, welcome to the real world! It sucks, but that is one of the many reasons why I love and rely on Jesus. For most of my life, I have suffered from a severe amount of bullying and drama everywhere I go. It got so bad that it led me to finish the rest of my high school education online (which is ending up to be a HUGE blessing in my life). But even then, it still was there, and it really took a toll on my self-esteem. I felt as if anywhere I went, there was someone who hated me. I've always been a people-pleaser for most of my life, so unfortunately that lead to me making some pretty poor choices in hopes of earning their approval. But sometimes those mistakes can even shape you into the person you are today. Looking back, I have learned that the only approval we will ever need is God's. "He has not punished us as we deserve for all our sins, for His mercy toward those who fear and honor him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth" ~ Psalms 103:10-14.  Our merciful God is always rooting for us and will never leave our side. He sent His only son to die a horrific, grim death just because of how much He loves and wants to spend eternity with us. We will never find a love that great and unconditional. I think that is so incredibly cool how much God loves us and the blessing He gives us.

As a Christian, I strive each and every day to be more like Jesus. But also being human, it's difficult to love others at times, but in the end we are all sinners and children of the Lord Almighty. Another flaw we have in our human nature is that we try to find our joy and worth in other people or earthly things like money, sports, etc. When in reality, our worth is in Christ Jesus ♡ He fights our battles for us, even when we aren't around to defend ourselves. Jesus lives within us, and is always with us in our hearts. "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" ~ Galatians 2:20. It can be hard sometimes to forgive those who have persecuted us in the past, but that hatred in our hearts isn't from God and it is only bringing us down. I know it may sound easier said than done, but it is truly beneficial to focus more on the positives and leave things in God's hands.

For anyone with an anxiety disorder, I know first-hand that trust can be a touchy subject. Especially when many others have broken your trust in the past and that causes you to put figurative walls up to protect yourself. The little voice called anxiety in the back of your head is saying "danger! danger!"; you do everything you can to protect yourself, even if that means pushing away the people that really care about you. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding" ~ Proverbs 3:5. It's hard to rewire your brain after living in fear for so long. When it comes to human beings and fleshly desires, there is no 100% guarantee that we won't be disappointed- it's simply just human nature. But the amazing thing about our heavenly father is that we don't need to have our guard up with Him. He will never forsake us or betray our trust and wants to see us succeed in life for His glory. I know one thing for sure is that praying is one of my biggest coping mechanisms in life. It doesn't even have to be some wordy, biblical prayer; prayer is just a conversation with God. At the end of every day, I try to just recap how my life has been going to God. It's extremely comforting to know that even when you feel totally and utterly alone, you're not.

So I'll come back to my main point of this post: what would Jesus do? The answer is that He would love FIRST. "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends" ~ John 15:13. It may not be easy to love those who have wronged you, but I promise you that a kind and forgiving heart feels a lot better than having a bitter, spiteful heart. Please be kind to everyone and treat them with respect, even if you don't think they deserve it. It is not our place to judge anyone, it is God's. I apologize for not being very active on here lately, but now I'm back and more excited than ever to post more :) Thanks for reading and I hope everyone has an amazing week!! <3