I speak to my own personal experience, but I believe this to be true for most people to a greater or lesser degree. I base this on numbers and numbers of times listening to others say the same sort of thing as I just did. Many of us spend our entire lives trying to get certain people to "get it". If they would just understand, if they would just be pleased with us, then the world would be a better place. It is mind-boggling that our thoughts can take us back five, ten, or even fifteen years within the course of one daydream and we find ourselves having a mental conversation (or mulling over what could have or should have happened) once again as if this feeble mental attempt might make things right, that somehow they might call us out of the blue and say, "I am so sorry. Now, I understand. You were right."
A healthy boundary says, "No, I will not do that any longer." I will not spend hours, days, weeks, years, or decades trying to please people who will never be pleased enough. I will go to people who have no agenda for me except to welcome me, nor who subtly try to get me to do what they want me to do. Above all, at any moment, I will go to the One who IS always pleased with me with no strings attached. This is His ultimate protection. He has transformed us into new people who never need to try to please Him again. In some weird, backwards sort of way we are to obey by trusting that He is pleased already because of who He's turned us into--beautiful creatures. This belief in Him is His greatest pleasure, and at moments we may find ourselves in quiet moments of peace.
1 comment:
thank you for this, Steven. His love for us is really beautiful... thank you for always reminding your friends of how He loves us.
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