Misunderstood

I hate being misunderstood. It is one of the most frustrating things ever. To have to explain yourself. To have to justify why you said what you said. Why you did what you did.

I just hate it.

I can’t stand it when people have the wrong interpretation, vibe, or view of me or something I’ve said or done. It just really gnaws at me. Yet I have been learning the past couple of years, that sometimes it really has nothing to do with me at all. 

Sometimes a misunderstanding, comes purely from where someone else stands and views life. It comes from how they CHOOSE to see things. And you can’t always change their view or position. 

Of course, that’s hard too. 

But God has been showing me something in a very tender way (for He knows that’s how I need to hear things at times). He’s been showing me that I won’t die if I’m misunderstood. I won’t fall apart. And most importantly – that sometimes I just shouldn’t explain myself.

God is often misunderstood. Sometimes He may choose to reveal a truth to us, other times; He doesn’t. He leaves us to seek and figure things out for ourselves because He know that sometimes in our lives… that is exactly what is needed.

If someone doesn’t know my heart and character; no amount of explaining myself is going to change how they see things. They don’t know my heart and soul, and WON’T know my heart and soul - unless they seek to. They see things on a level that exists because of where their heart currently is based on what has happened in their life, and from their choices of how they WANT to see things. 

I won’t be able to win no matter what I do. It will only cause me great stress to bend over backwards, and take every last breath I have, trying to explain myself. 

It will be like dust in the wind.

I’ve been learning over the years, (the hard and slow way) that sometimes if I know I’ve had pure intentions and motives, and that my heart has been right with God – that I have to be satisfied with that. 

I’ve got to leave the misunderstanding untouched by me. 

God has very clearly spoken to my heart at times about being still and letting Him do the working and moving in my life; instead of the striving coming from me all of the time. That’s a hard lesson to learn! But it’s an important one, for there are great truths and deep meaning to be found in the “still” moments of life where we simply observe and listen.

I will probably always hate being misunderstood. I will probably always be frustrated when someone gets me totally wrong. Because to me - that means they get “ME” wrong. Who I am, and what I’m about.

But it happens. And it will continue to happen.

Life certainly is not fair, and we don’t always get a fair shake – even if we deserve one. 

God can take our injustices, our mistreatments and misunderstandings and He can work in beautiful ways if we hand them over to Him. He will remain faithful to us through every circumstance, and can touch our world in such tender, amazing ways. Knowing my heart is right with Him, and that He is personally letting me know He’s aware of what is going on, and with me through it? That has to be able to override any misunderstanding that may occur in the meantime. 

That has to be enough for us. For me.  

So, I will continue to do my best. BE my best. I will continue to love and try to be at peace with all those in my life. But - when things get tossed and turned about? I will let God stand for my reputation and character. 

And I will rest in the shadow of His loving hands.

“It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you.” Prov. 29:25.  

When You're Tired

It should be so obvious to us.

There are times in life where we just seem more irritable with everyone else. We don’t eat as well as we should, we don’t make time for our spouse, and we aren’t as good to ourselves. Our “self talk” tends to be more negative.

These times usually happen because we are so worn out. We are TIRED - with a capital “t.”

Maybe we are emotionally tired; but I know when I am emotionally tired, it makes me physically tired, too. And most of us lead buys lifestyles which also lead to tiredness.

In these seasons, we make poor decisions simply because we don’t have the energy to think longer about our choices, or to wait for wisdom.

Being tired affects a heck of a whole lot in our lives. You’d think we could simply address the issue!

But we don’t. And if we’re not careful, these “seasons” end up becoming lifestyles. We continue to make temporary decisions that only put a band aid on what is really going on. And so we have to repeat again, and again, and again.

It is SO important that we have times of rest. I know if I’m in a puddle on the floor with tears streaming down my face - something needs to change. Maybe it’s time I give up a commitment, or at least lesson the hours I invest into it. Maybe I adjust the hours in my day to create a “buffer zone” where I have time to tend to my own soul. Maybe I put boundaries in my life to protect myself from toxic relationships. Or MAYBE, just MAYBE I replace something that isn’t as good - with something that is more life-giving and energizing.

We are a society of tired people. You can see it everywhere. You can see it in the impatient drivers who get frustrated at sitting at a red light. You can see it in the empty houses on your street where no one ever seems to be home anymore. 

It’s not healthy for anyone. Not us, not our families.

Invest in time to sleep. Invest in time alone. Invest in having nothing to do. And you will be investing in your own emotional health.

Forget keeping up with everyone else. Honestly? They probably need to implement the same slow-down regime as you do.

I promise. You will like yourself better. You will make wiser decisions. And you will enjoy your family more. Those sentences in and of themselves, should be enough of a reason.

You don’t have to LIVE life tired. Make some changes today - even if it starts with just one thing and you have to wait awhile to change the next thing.

You only live once. 

Live rested and ready to tackle life with your mind sharp and your body fueled.

We Have Grown Silent About the Things That Matter

It seems to me, that many believers nowadays try to stay out of “hot-button” conversations. 

Who can really blame them? Our views and thoughts aren’t widely considered or wanted in society.

But the “other” side…. They are very vocal. So vocal about their thoughts, views, and opinions, that their thoughts, views, and opinions have become not just widely heard… but widely ACCEPTED.

We have grown silent about the things that matter.

I understand not wanting to incite arguments or debates. There are certain situations and people who won’t be open to listening to “Godly people” share their hearts. (In a loving, kind way.) BUT - and this is a huge BUT….. there is a difference in kindly sharing your heart on a controversial subject with someone you have a relationship with - and/or just leaving them to maintain their delusional, harmful, and empty ways of living.

Read that again.

There is a difference.

Our world is changing faster than we can breathe - almost. It sure feels that way.  But it’s changing because we, as God’s people have grown silent. We’ve lost our perspective. We’ve lost our PASSION for right and wrong. 

We’ve stopped loving, and started living … just like everyone else.

We’ve stopped going to church. Stopped carrying our Bibles (much less reading them), and stopped digesting, soaking in, and meditating on God’s Word, His truth, and His ways.

And that’s the real reason most of us are silent. 

But what if we regained our passion? What if we truly fellowshipped with the Lord in our daily lives and felt Him prompting us (always with love) to share His truth to those lost ones out in our world?

What if instead, of striking up heated debates that no one will win, we love someone else who is walking in sinful ways, and someone who may not agree with us - but STILL share with them God’s commands? 

For their OWN happiness and good?

What then?

What if we stopped being silent - but started to become just as vocal as those other voices out there? Never in a “judgy” way.. but in a heart that desires to bring lost sheep back to the fold safely?

There are SO many who are hurting today. SO many who are lost and empty. And trust me - they feel it. They may try to publicly deny it…but they FEEL it.  And they want to be loved and accepted for who they are, even if they are making mistakes. They want to know that we, too, have doubts, have emptiness at times, and make mistakes.

They want to know they can share their thoughts and opinions with us, and in return, will get wise counsel - not condemnation.

But that can never happen if we remain quiet. If we stay “out of the conversation.” 

Time is fleeting. Our lives; fleeting.

Friend, please make the most of yours. Use your voice. Open your heart. LOVE. SHARE. PRAY.

Maybe you won’t see a change in the world, but you might just see a change in your neighbor, your girlfriend, or your uncle.

Isn’t that worth it all?