Accept one another . . . in order to bring praise to God !

What a horrendous week it has been for me!  And its only Tuesday (sigh!)  Sometimes I just want to climb into my fifth wheel and wheel away . . . . I don’t care where, just ANYWHERE but here – I hate conflict, don’t you?

I think I hate it because conflict tears at my heart – its sin and its wrong.  But can we live in a world, okay let’s just say “in a family” without conflict?  Aren’t we supposed to be a family (whether by blood or by faith) of unity – a Christian community that loves one another and is unified?  Seems simple, doesn’t it?  It ain’t!  One wants this, the other that.  Someone is unhappy or feeling unloved or being pushed around.  There’s manipulation and pride and jealousy – these ARE NOT family traits you know (!)  or for that matter, “fruits” of the Spirit!

In all this muck, I have been praying, I have been fasting, and I have sought counsel, both from the Word and from wise prayer warriors.  I have tried to get to the bottom of it all and I have tried to ignore it, hoping it will go away.  I think if it just affected me, I would be okay but I see hurt here.  And not just my hurt head (sigh again!) but hurt hearts and hurt lives. 

And I want to fix them all !  Step back, Debi – step back.  Leave it there.  Just leave it there.  Okay, I’m better now.  Where were we?  J

Look at the wonderful Scripture God showed me!  It’s from Romans, Chapter 15:

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”  For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Shall we pick it apart together?    “not please ourselves, but others” – “build them up” – okay, not seeing that in any of this!   So it’s not about what I want or think should happen, it’s about building others up?  God will give me the endurance and encouragement I need AND a spirit of unity as I follow Christ Jesus.  I’m following . . . . I’m following.

Follow Him so I do as He does – go where He goes – be who He calls us to be.  Follow.   

Following Him will help me accept others – accept them as who they are (NOT as how I want them to be (UNFORTUNATELYJ)!  Accept them in their sinfulness and in their godliness.  Accept.  And the reason I accept?  Is to bring praise to God!  Now that’s a GREAT reason.  His Glory – His Way – His.

Can I share with you some of the answer of one of my “prayer warriors”?  She’s a wise, wise woman of the Word - a friend for life – one of those treasures one thanks God for (most times).  When I asked her about all this, her response:

The quest for understanding and perfect meaningful relationships in love, friendship, and family life are, in my humble opinion, un-obtainable. I just need to learn how to love others more than myself….to forgive, to let go, un-grasp, and just breath… and laugh more at the ridiculous ways we try to control our emotions, manipulate our desires and rationalize our choices to fit our warped sense of entitlement. My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I am worth it.

 

That sounds like acceptance to me – and most definitely GRACE – yes, sweet friend, you are worth it – God accepts you, just as you are.

 
How can we not do the same?  For the praise of His Glorious Name.