Is Your Struggle Within or Without?
Determining what to do with my struggle within keeps me from moving forward. As I work my way through the day, I frequently become frustrated with others.
“I’m so tired of people acting this way…or that way…or…” I say to myself or to my closest friends. I write posts about how to ‘deal’ with others and my sometimes mean thoughts on how I’d like to handle things.
Impatience causes me to nag at my husband when he doesn’t do things in the way I expect him to.
Worry makes me panic and raise my voice in fear with my children. They look at me like I’m the wicked witch; I’m sure that’s how I come across, but I don’t mean it that way. I love them so much.
Insecurity causes me find to the flaws in others in order to feel better about myself.
All of these things go along with looking outside of myself for my joy and contentment. But as I think on them, I realize that I must apply my same belief about my faith to my struggle with other people. What I mean is this: I learned years ago that in order to find my faith, I had to look within myself and stop looking for it outside of me.
In the same way, I realize my complaints about other people are just another way of looking outside of myself. Rather than do that, I need to look within. My struggle isn’t against flesh and blood; it isn’t against those I get angry with, that I nag at, that I judge. No, instead it’s against the worldly part of me, my ego. It’s allowing that part of me to lead rather than Christ to guide my way.
Allowing impatience, anger, insecurity, fear to cover up the love, peace, joy that I know in Him skews my perception of people. Not that everyone is always perfect, but it’s not my job to change them. It’s not up to me to judge and force and gripe about them.
Instead, it’s my job to look after me. It’s my responsibility to nourish my relationship with God so that I can BE love, peace, joy.
If you haven’t had a chance to get intentional about developing a strong relationship with God, I encourage you to do so. It is through Christ that you will beat the worldly struggles, quit thinking your battle is with the people in your life, and finally live knowing and feeling love and peace.
Jessica Small says
What a great reminder! Thank you for sharing.
Julie Pfeifer says
Thank you, Jessica!