Whether you like it or not, you look in the mirror, that is your problem and that is your solution.
~ William E. Bailey
Who you are to the world is not the propaganda version your pride creates. You are also not the failure that fear tries to build in your mind. Life is about trying to find contentment and peace with the middle ground.
~ Brad
Proverbs 11:2 NIV
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
I struggle daily with both sides of pride. Although I feel I am strongly rooted in the understanding that God loves me and walks by my side at all times, I sometimes still find myself making forays into self pity or arrogance. Hopefully as I continue this journey of life my swings between these two extremes will become fewer and shorter. We all need to learn that focusing on a relationship with Christ should become the overreaching direction of all of our thoughts and actions. Once those things fall into place we will find that the influence that the world seeks to subdue us with will dissipate like a vapor in the gentle wind of His love. These two things should be the boundaries of the path you are on.
1. Others do not have the power to define who you are or determine your attitude.
2. You are not here to judge others, but to love to the best of your ability.
I have found that people seem to feel that they have the right to bend you to their expectations and hold their love hostage to your actions in compliance with that effort. I have found that same corruption in myself . Why is it that we need everyone to feel and think and act just like us in order to achieve happiness? I believe that great insight can be gained by understanding two inherent quialities of man... We each strive to be unique and independant while at the same time we want to be accepted and loved, feeling that we belong. This friction explains many of the stresses of life. It can be overcome with the peace that comes from an understanding of the love that God has for us all... if we will just allow it to permeate who we are, to ourselves and to the world.
Matthew 6:33 NIV
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
