from
Full Of Roses Inspirationals:
Christian inspirational photography and poetry
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I awoke this morning to the birds singing
I went outside, there was a sense of well being The air was so fresh, a calm breeze blew across my face
It was so quiet, as if everyone was sleeping
I found peace and joy in my heart As if the world had stopped just for a moment
The longing in my heart to draw near to You I closed my eyes and pictured You in my head
The flowers in the garden began to bloom
The trees filled with the shiniest fruit The grass grew seven shades greener
The grape vines that never produce were full
A rainbow had criss-crossed another rainbow across the sky It was most beautiful
A stream came rushing through my feet Fish with wings jumping over me
The sky a shade of blue I had never seen before
A Man in white came walking towards me with a gleam in his eye I have never seen Your face, but I knew it was You
Lord please don’t make me leave this place
He spoke to my heart with a smile on His face I realized there was still more to be saved With a tear in my eye, I smiled
He knew my love for Him Keeping all in my heart of that day I will seek all that You lead me to
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Isaiah 65:17
See, I will create new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.
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We are to practice seeing this.
I think that Heaven dawns as consciousness joins God, a place where He is all at once all that is… in a moment that is forever… a place that is like no-place; a truly God place; a place where we love wonderfully satisfyingly, deliciously; and where finally all knowing is all known by all beings in God. I believe, God is Heaven. I do.
Offense seems to be an obligation; its become a natural response to someone else. When we see things that we do not like, we feel we have no choice but to become upset… and express it adamantly.
We view our response as outside of our hands. We are only reacting to others.
Like most thing, however, offense is really an issue of the self. It has nothing to do with the person who is offending you and everything to do with you.
Yes, some people say and do things that may seem ridiculous to you. But have you ever thought about how you say and do things that are ridiculous to others.
The issue of being offended has to do with how we choose to respond.
In the same way that we choose to be offended, we can also choose to not be offended, which has several advantages.
We can listen to and understand others better.
We increase our opportunities to learn.
We can more easily resolve conflict.
We grow our ability to influence the world around us.
Once you choose to respond in offense, your ability to make a difference will be negligible. But if you choose to not be offended, then you have taken the first step towards influence.
Here are a five ways to help you change how you respond.
1. Find value in every person. You have to believe that every person in the world has intrinsic value, and then look for it. Understand that their perspective is unique to them, and that is is beneficial. Seek what is helpful instead of being focused on what you find offensive. Always be asking what they can teach you. Search for what you can learn. You will be amazed at what you find.
2. Learn to listen. Most of us don’t. We listen to people that we agree with because we already like what they are saying. but we rarely listen to anyone else. The only way to understand another person is to hear what they have to say. To listen with the goal of understanding, not arguing. If someone is offending you, then it is a good time to stop talking and start listening. If nothing else, you are less likely to say something you would regret.
3. Try something new. Like strange food, the reason we don’t like something different is only because we haven’t tried it. Ignorance leads to fear. Fear leads to being offended. Start with something simple like food or a cultural experience. If you feel courageous enough, switch to CNN or Fox News, depending on your political persuasion. Develop a spirit of courage and adventure. The only way to understand a different perspective is to try it.
4. Apologize. One of the main reasons we are so easily offended is pride. The most humbling thing you can do is apologize when you are wrong. We are all wrong at some point. When it is your turn, do something beneficial about it. Apologize. It will force you to humble yourself and will speak volumes to the other person. Today, find someone you have offended and apologize to them.
5. Be a friend. Don’t feel that is it your obligation to change people. Being a friend is about loving them where they are. Friends encourage and help. They find what a person needs and then seek to help meet those needs. No strings attached. The people who are in the best position to influence us, are these true friends.
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Being offended is really a selfish way to treat people. It is a response focused not on the other person, but only on ourselves. It is about what we want them to be. It is about our desire to change them.
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The only person in this world that you can change is you. The only way to remove offense from your life is to choose to respond differently.
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Are you easily offended? What have you found that helps you choose otherwise?
Help all of us choose better by sharing your ideas in the comments.
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About Jeremy Statton
at Living Better Stories Jeremy is a writer and an orthopedic surgeon. When not ridding the world of pain, he helps you live a better story.
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There is a brokenness in the world, and we are all part
of it. Rebel? Addict? Fallen? Depraved? Guilty?
Have a read of Jeremy’s e-book, Grace Is for sinners.
Do you know anyone that says, “I came to Christ without the power of the Spirit?” If you ever did meet such a man, you need have no hesitation in saying, “My dear sir, I quite believe it — and I believe you went away again without the power of the Spirit, and that you know nothing about the matter, and are in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity.” Do I hear one Christian man saying, “I sought Jesus before he sought me; I went to the Spirit, and the Spirit did not come to me”? No, beloved; we are obliged, each one of us, to put our hands to our hearts and say:
“Grace taught my soul to pray, And made my eyes to o’erflow; ‘Twas grace that kept me to this day, And will not let me go.”
– C.H. Spurgeon
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Humans are free to believe what they choose.
However, that is not free will.
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The heart that is in us is inclined toward love if this is what we choose. Our will has not to do with this.
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Choose wisely. The grace of God is always extended. If you turn from grace, you may. If you turn toward grace, you may.
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Love is a choice. So is fear. These are not powered by free-will. The power of love is of Godly grace and the power of fear is of hellish everlasting delusions.
I took a long walk once and I’m not back yet. I just looked around and I said: “Where am I?”
A voice said to me: “You took a long walk.” I said: “Oh, where am I?” The voice was quiet.
I looked about again. There were trees and birds and bees in fresh air. I took a long breath.
I thought, “Am I lost?” Then it was all good.
I was lost in love. I was on a long walk.
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I pray the Lord my soul to keep…
I found faith and that took me away from much of the concerns
of where I am. When I say, “I was lost in love”, I do not mean
that I fell in love with a lady.
We are to practice seeing this.
Eric
