Is there anything wrong with expressing your own feelings?
Is there anything wrong with expressing your own feelings?
Ephesians 4:17-31, Proverbs 4:23-24
“What needs to change in your word choices and way of communicating? How can you reflect the light of Jesus in your speech today?”
No one in this world is ever perfect. No matter how nice our words are and especially when we speak/communicate to others, there will still be times where our words become… not-so-nice… It happens to all of us, and I am no different.
“keep corrupt talk from your lips” (Proverbs 5:21) - Try to keep gossip/negative words out of my mouth. I know it’s hard - but it does us no good (harms other people and could harm ourselves)… Word choices… I feel like my word choices get too forceful or demanding sometimes… again, it does us no good and doesn’t reflect the light of Jesus in our speeches..
“Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them” (Ephesians 4:29)
Word choices need to be more careful and avoid hurtful words or phrases (note to self): it just shows how selfish i would be… It reminded me of my cousin and aunt.. I don’t want to be like that.. Surely Jesus didn’t want us to talk like that to one another…
The importance of a pure heart and clean speech is… beyond important.. As disciples of the Lord what we should really do is follow the qualities of God…
The only thing I can really do is, keep praying to the Lord. Keep praying to be more like Him and more forgiving, keep a pure heart and clean speech like He did…
Seriously feel unworthy, unimportant and I SUCK…
i totally just feel like i exist.. #notreally…
2 Corinthians 12:1-10, 1 Corinthians 4:8-17
What’s your typical response to personal thorns? How can you stand in God’s power and grace and delight in your thorns this week?
I think this is usually everyones typical response to their personal would be: to avoid it. i mean, who would ever want to face something or someone (whatever your thorn maybe)? I know that I don’t. It makes you… feel weak.. I’d just let time slow everything down and take my pains (from the thorn) away..
In 2 Corinthians 12:9 it says “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” In 2 Corinthians 12:10 it says “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Your weaknesses/thorns are what make you stronger as a person and as a disciple of God. There isn’t a need to be afraid of anything or anyone because God ALWAYS has your back. Always have and Always will.
1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Ephesians 3:7-12, Colossians 1:28-29
What motivates you to work hard - reputation, man’s approval, or God’s grace? How can you better present God’s grace to others?
“I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.” (Ephesians 3:7-12)
I used to think that I’m only working hard for man’s approval. I didn’t know what I was really doing with my life. No goal, No feel of true meaning in life, no anything. Until then I started going to fellowship, and slowly I started going to church. As time progressed I slowly felt that I was not only working hard for reputation or man’s approval - I was also working hard to show God’s grace to me. there’s a fine line in the middle - Now that I read these passages I feel like it’s so important to not let God’s gifts and God’s grace to us go to waste for He is working in each and everyone of us. I’m doing this to repay the wonderful gifts that God gave me.
L.O.V.E. <3
I’d rather be weird than boring.
2 Samuel 13:1-20, Ephesians 5:25-29
(If you’re married, how can you root out selfishness from your relationship and replace it with selflessness? How does God’s love help us heal our broken relationships?)
I can’t quite imagine “if i’m married”… because i’m not married and i’m not in a relationship - but if I’m in love..
I would love him as if I would be feeling to do anything for this guy… be willing to do anything for the good of his own… when it says “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” if i really loved him then why can’t i do the same? why can’t i love him with the selfless heart and love him like Christ loved all of us?
“In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. After no one ever hated their own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church - for we are members of his body.”
We all try our best to take care of our bodies when we get sick. No one wants to get sick! When there is selfishness in a relationship it feels as though your body is sick. Give it medicine or time to rest or more water and more nourishment to hope for the better… Selfish love becomes selfless love… Don’t try to control something you can’t control.. do what you can and leave the rest in the hands of God.. <3
Taking on Lenten mission:
So as I am completing my personal Lenten promise to take on reading bible verses and devotional responses - since I have a tumblr, might as well write on here :)
Genesis 3:1-7, Matthew 4:1-11
Question: Where are you facing the fiercest temptation right now; lust of the flesh; lust of the eyes, or the pride of life? How does the fact that Jesus has already overcome the tempter help you to deal with your temptation?
Temptations comes in many forms and many ways and can come to each and everyone of us in different ways and different times, situations. My strongest temptation: pride of life, laziness, and so many other things. Sometimes, I really just want to skip school and fly home or just go to a store and buy all the alcohol I can and sit by the streets to start drinking and not having to think about ANYTHING in my life. not caring about ANYTHING or ANYONE. Sounds very selfish - but yes, this has been a thought that came through my head and been a temptation. Just like, the women and the man eating the fruits on the tree.
But the fact that Jesus has overcome the tempter - it brings my life back to God (as a center). Leave all things to the Lord and with Him nothing is impossible. Jesus had a strong faith in God so he overcame the tempter - if I can stand firm and learn to trust Him maybe I can do the same. No one’s perfect, we’re all human and we all sin during our lives. But as long as we learn and overcome, with Him, nothing is impossible! <3
