Hey to all my Friday Follies Friends!
So how are you? Just wonderful, I hope. I’ve been thinking about you all and sending you good thoughts and well wishes. I appreciate all your notes to me, the emails, comments on Facebook, and your questions, so I’ll try to answer a couple of them.
Anne asked me if I would discuss how we could grow up faster so that the problems in life won’t bother us so much. Lynn asked if I would discuss how we get to the place where we actually “feel” what we think we believe and what we are trying to believe. Since both of these questions seem to be about maturity, I’ll answer them this way…I mean we all mature at different ages, of course, and it takes some of us longer than others because of our different life experiences. I have come to believe that acceptance is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves. Some people may think they’re not good enough for whatever reason, that they never measure up. We’re not perfect; we make mistakes. I don’t think you should try to rush the “growing up” process. Just have the attitude “I am who I am and I’m okay, and I will deal with each thing I have to deal with as God leads me and as I gain the knowledge I need.” I think once you truly accept yourself without apology to anyone, you also undergo change or transformation at your own rate of growth. There is also a sense of freedom when you lighten up and give yourself the liberty to take your time to change maybe some bad habits that haven’t served you well. We’re not superior or inferior to anyone. We are all just human beings. Some might reach a level of success more readily than others because they may have more potential or favor or good fortune. If you’ve been putting yourself down too much, you may need to evaluate whether or not you deserve your own “punishment,” or try to determine whether or not your judgment of yourself is based on something you haven’t let go of or accepted forgiveness for (if you have asked God to forgive you). Or you may just not be as spiritually informed yet as to what you think God expects of you.
On the second question, if you mean “feel” in the sense of “being convinced” that your understanding is the truth, I think you may just need to accept the Word of God as truth, and that would come only with the experience of becoming more familiar with the BIBLE and asking God to help you gain wisdom. Remember the scripture “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean NOT to your own understanding”? I mean God’s the Boss and He expects our obedience. That’s one of the things you learn from reading the OLD TESTAMENT.
I’m reading the ONE YEAR CHRONOLOGICAL BIBLE (the Old and New Testaments). It’s divided into daily readings arranged in the order the events actually occurred. (I don’t think it matters whether it’s the chronological version or not, just that it’s divided into 365 days. And I say that because it’s easier to read if it’s already divided and at the end of the year you will have read it through.) The whole BIBLE obviously is longer and you would read a little more each day, but you also gain a little more understanding each time you read it. And there are good lessons in the OLD TESTAMENT too; however, if you’re a first-time reader, I would suggest you read the NEW TESTAMENT because it’s actually God’s New Covenant with us. Because we are spirit, mind, and body, it is up to us to develop ourselves spiritually by reading the Word of God. Prayer helps too. We are God’s children, so He loves us and He wants us to learn and grow and feel complete. Reading the BIBLE helps us to feel more complete. And for those who have a harder time accepting authority it also teaches us discipline.
Okay, Gotta’ go or I won’t meet my “midnight deadline” and clean up the mess I made in the kitchen.
Just know that I love you. Take care of yourselves and stay healthy and safe.
Love,
Donna
P.S. Sorry this one was so late.