Thursday, 08 November 2012
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How God has helped me
(I wrote about religion without celibacy, does this count? If not, at least I didn't blog about dog tits. YOU'RE WELCOME) 3 requests filled! Will finish the rest. I am 98% to True.
@Ricardo98 @musterion99 @PPhilip
I am a Christian. I have been called not a “real” Christian because I won’t subscribe to any groupthink. I’m interested in God/truth/doing what is right, etc – I’m not really interested in conforming to perceptions people have on Christian behavior.I have grown a lot in the last few years. I’ve had particularly a lot of trouble loving people in my personal life. Admittedly my emotions consisted of; anger, anger, hatred, revenge, anger, anger, anger. I have keyed cars, thrown coffee in them, destroyed property, & more. This was out of revenge and I felt justified at the time doing it. I had to really examine myself and study scripture to know that in no way was this what God wanted or thought was morally right. I wasn’t defending myself, I was hurting people. Just because somebody hurts me doesn’t give me the right to hurt them back.
In 2010 I ended up falling head over heels in love. I was the same crazy biotch, hell bent on revenge when someone fucked me over. Except for this time, every time I did something, it hurt the person I loved the most. I had never felt more pain in my life than when I hurt someone I loved. This time I felt the effects of revenge, of anger, and not loving someone the way God commanded us to. There is no action I did that didn’t come back and hurt me tenfold.
In November 2011 my Dad was diagnosed with cancer. I hated him for a long time and never forgave him for anything. Seeing him in the hospital sad, weak, in pain, and helpless changed that. He was formerly some menacing, scary thing to me. Now I pity him. He became human, just like me. He wasn’t an object for my hate, but a human being that was to be loved as God told us to.
I’ve learned that despite what other people do they are human beings like we are. “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23
They aren’t worse than we are. “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” James 2:10 An us vs. them mindset can be destructive and only sets ourselves up for hate. Hate isn’t productive, it begets more hate. We are all human beings/children of God and are not distinguished by bad vs. good. None of us are good, God loves us anyway. "...No one is good except God alone." Mark 10:18
So this year I’ve encountered quite a few challenges that have made me want to get revenge and correct wrongs that I had endured by people I knew. But thanks to Christ I have learned that loving people (other than loving God) is the MOST important thing to do, and if I cannot love people then my claims to love God make me a liar. “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.” 1 John 4:20 Being hateful does nothing except inspire more hate. There is nothing to accomplish from it.
I will end on some of my favorite, relevant scriptures.The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
Matthew 18:21-23
The Greatest Commandment
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:34-40
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11
So there is a peek into my religious life. What has God done for you?
And here atheists, have a shot for having to look at this.
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Comments (62)
I had no idea ;).
This is beautiful. I'm so sorry about your Dad. I hope he's better and I think you are an incredible person. <3
This is a rather "off the beaten path" type post.
I never would have THUNK it that you were Christian. I was raised Protestant, which certainly puts me in that category so I know right from wrong but in the summer of 2004 all that changed. A very dear friend, whom I held sooooo close was killed. Up until her funeral I was going back and forth, why did this happen, what did I do to deserve this, eventually I felt lost. After her funeral I kept asking myself, Is there a god, and from then on, I didn't believe in an all-mighty being anymore. I felt things happen for no real apparent reason, they just happen.
For me growing up and making friends wasn't easy, since we moved so often, so when I finally had a friend that I cared deeply about, she was struck down in her prime. Put yourself in my shoes, you have a BF or GF, Husband or Wife, child that you obviously care very deeply about. They're with you one moment, then . . . THEY'RE GONE. I can only blame one person for this horrible crime, the person that ran her over and probably didn't even realize it until the cops showed up at his home. I could not live with myself if I did that and if I accidently did that, I would feel horrible for a very very long time. Now, imagine she was your child, YOUR ONLY CHILD, and then, she is gone. Only her memories are left. At first I couldn't imagine the pain and suffering they were going through, to lose their only child and for what? Somebody drank too much and oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know.
Sorry Shimmer dear, I didn't mean to make this comment all about me, but your final question was what has he done for you?
@rocketopossum - My boobs do not look like Christian boobs I guess.
@EmilyandAtticus -
Thaaank you very much. 
I also think you're incredible +100. 
@Kris0logy -
YES WE DO
@PrisonerxOfxLove - I try =P
@olwd - Thank you for such the well thought out reply. Sorry what you had to go through. :c You have every right to be angry. *hug*
I really like this post. Another beautiful side to you that was hidden.. :)
What do you believe about what the bible says about Christian behavior?
@olwd - sorry for putting my nose in...but I've had a lot happen to me too, I just don't talk about it. God can handle your anger as for letting it happen...He doesn't stop the free will of men unless we ask Him to step in,...
Personal thoughts & to add to answer the question : He has often gave instructions to not to do something etc or to pull over bc of a danger ahead..& I've seen how He as stopped things from happening bc I listened...
Last Night I was meaning to zing someone with my FB stat about how our actions speak louder about the condition of our hearts more than our words. He let it bite me instead...I confessed it as well.
@olwd - I hope I didn't over step (((HUGS)))
@musterion99 - That would be like 20 posts, wouldn't it?
Behavior consistent with loving people, loving God, and doing what one thinks is right based on their true assessment of following Christ's teachings. 
@Babieboo_Annie - that was sweet. What a nice compliment! Thank you. I'll refrain from saying anything lesbionic since this is my religious post.
@Kris0logy - For me I'm not longer angry at him, but I don't find it easy to always listen to . . . I guess my thoughts sometimes. I do however, help those that are stranded, in need of money, or just lost. I do it because, whether or not he said to, I do it because I feel it is the right thing to do. Perhaps the way I was raised is sneaking back in, but I don't feel it will completely change my ways.
I recently spoke with her parents, this last weekend while visiting her gravesite. Of course I balled like a baby, but her mother hugged my like I was her own daughter. It was touching for me what she told me then.
She said, "Melissa still loves you Amy and she is happy for you. Never forget the good times you shared. She'll always be in your heart."
I guess what she said wasn't like the most profound thing one could say but the way she said it made me feel just a bit better. I mean I know those were her words and she being the parent that lost her only child, she appeared amazingly strong while standing at the foot of her only child's grave.
I'm sorry, I can write better than this, but it's just coming out right now and I can't see what I'm typing.
You picked some wonderful scriptures~ :) One love!
These are all wonderful bible verses. But they all seem to circle around one central point.
What are your takes on mercy?@ShimmerBodyCream - @musterion99 - God changing us & following Him is a lot like Houston streets ALWAYS under construction.
I think ppl who follow Him/ Word & not church doctrines are ahead in the 'game'.
Wow, this was beautiful.
" None of us are good, God loves us anyway."
Amen. I feel like crying! In a good way.
havent had the chance to read the whole thing yet. I'll get back to it.
@ShimmerBodyCream - Yeah, love is really important. Jesus said -"If you love me, keep my commandments." I was thinking more along the lines of the bible saying certain things are sins like getting drunk, sex before marriage, etc...
@Kris0logy - I agree, but some people don't allow God to change them.
@musterion99 - Oh, yes I agree with you. "First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean." Matthew 23:26 I think it's important to keep the commandments and love God. I was referring to some of the frivolous things people get stuck on. I've met people who thought wearing makeup was a sin, etc. Focusing on idiosyncrasies of a church vs changing the heart. If that makes sense?
I had no idea. WOW.
Believe it or not though, this has had no affect on my opinion of you. I thought you were a great person already!
This blog is absolutely beautiful! I'm glad to see more people able to follow the good of religion without subscribing to what the organization of it brings out of some people (a large reason why I don't practice my Catholicism).
you are not the only one that has been told that they do not come across as "christian" apparently neither do i and i am a former ordained minister. i enjoyed this post very much, you are a beautiful woman on the inside and out, thank you for your courage!