More than anything else, single men and women must learn loneliness i. e. not to fear being alone.
We have to be comfortable with ourselves in the silence.:glow: When our loneliness is pleasant and peaceful, not desperate, then we will be able to seek out a mate-not only because we need one, but because we want one.
Is there a room in our lives for the real companionship of another individual?
If we strip away the prejudices and stereotypes, and open ourselves to vulnerability, we may actually find someone to share our lives with.
I think the key to this is realizing that we have everything we need through Christ. We need to be a whole complete person on our own and in love with our lives. Only then will we be healthy enough to share the love that is within us with someone else.
If we feel that we need someone in our lives in order to be happy, I promise that the relationship is going to be a struggle because you will always be looking for what you can get out of that relationship rather than what you can give.
An excellent question. I do not agree that we have to learn to love ourselves before we can love another because we are our own worst critics. we know everything about ourselves. There are things about me that I will never love, but that doesn't mean I can't love someone else the way they deserve.
I do think we need to know ourselves well. We have to be honest with ourselves about our shortcomings and weaknesses. We have to be comfortable with the person we are now, not the person we hope to become.
It just takes time, time, and more time. I have been divorced for 6 years and have not even dated seriously yet. Of course 2 of those years I was in Bible College, but I am glad I took the time. I know when I do decide, there is nothing to hold me back.
What about our judging and accusing ourselves on the one hand and the righteousness of Christ.
Unfortunately we live in the flesh, so I don't see much way for this to end. I am not even sure that it should. If we stop searching ourselves what will we become? Will we become one of those that use their cloak of righteousness for evil? Because our righteousness comes from God, not ourselves. We will never even approach righteousness on our own.
In short, I think our being so tough on ourselves is one of the things that keeps us in line.
Hello all. This is in response to what Leon has stated.
The Word states in Matthew 22:37-39, the two commandments that Jesus said would cover all that is the duty of man. To love God with all of our heart, soul and mind. The other is to love others as we do ourselves. How can I love my brother (fellow saint), my friends, strangers or my spouse if I don't love myself? You say that there are things that you hate about yourself, then you will find things to hate in others.
Whatever those things that are in you that you hate, pray and ask God to deliver you. You are empowered, in the name of Jesus to be completely liberated and free, He came for this purpose.
You also said that you don't know if we should ever stop judging and accusing ourselves and that is the way that we keep ourselves in line.
Again, Romans 8:1 says, There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
The love of our Father and our desire to be obedient is what keeps us in line. We love Him because He first loved us when we were sinners not trying to live for Him at all.
If you do make a mistake, you don't condemn or judge yourself, but repent and God will forgive you. Period. Then press, forgetting those things things that are behind you and you move forward with joy knowing that your Father loves you so much.
This response is primarily to what 1babygirl had to say simply because I like debating with her because most of the time she is WRONG. Not the ministryin her though that was a good word my sister.
But back to the debate. Did Jesus actually teach us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Think and read before you answer my sister. I am not as ghetto and dumb as I may sound the obvious answer may not be right.
I think I might start a post on this just to see what you got.
(Me, screaming into the air, with my fists raised high over my head) Fatherrrr what have I sown, that I must reap the aggravation that is Mr. Pluc???? :boxing:
To everyone else: please don't take anything I will say to heart, this is for Mr. Pluc and to him alone. I think he was sent as a thorn in my side to test me with fire. So, I will attempt to break this down to him and keep my salvation. Pray for me.
To Mr. Pluc: First and foremost I would like to to say that being ghetto and dumb doesn't necessarily go hand and hand. I've got a ghetto hat (figuratively speaking) that I put on from time to time when I need to go there. I hope I don't need to go there before this blog is over.
Second, I know that you are trying to cause some ruckus because you just couldn't take the relatively nice exchange we had on the 'Do I kiss or not kiss' forum. You just like to hear me fuss.
I could go thru the many, many, MANY scriptures that back up my earlier comments. I could DEFY you to scripturally prove that Jesus does not want us to love our neighbors.
Despite my disclaimer above, I know that people are reading this and some will take it to heart. For the sake of those young in Christ who may be impressionable, I will do none of the above.
Does anyone have some peroxide and cream for a thorn wound?
