Pray for those that despitefully use you?

Matthew 5: 43-44

43 –You have heard that it hath been said; Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy.
44 – But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

The bible teaches us to love our enemies, bless those that curse us, do good to those that hate us and to pray for the people who use us and persecute us. I’m not sure it is entirely possible for us as humans to really practice this. It is so hard to forget the things that people do, we are human and we hang on to the things that hurt us. It is really difficult at times to just turn away from that hurt. I sometimes wonder exactly what Jesus meant when he was saying this. Is it meant more in the way of a popular saying today – Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Reread the first verse, does it not sound almost exactly like that is where he was going with this statement. So maybe he didn’t mean for us to forget and move on. He meant for us to pray that they would see the error of their ways, meant for us to learn from what they had done to us but to move on and not let it ruin our lives. It doesn’t say we have to continue to let them hurt us or cause havoc in our lives. He only says that we need to love them and pray for them. I personally don’t believe that he expects us to set back and let them despitefully use us over and over.

Romans 16: 17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

See he doesn’t expect us to allow people to behave how ever they want and just continue to ignore it and look the other way. We should stand up against the things that people do and say “No I don’t have to be a part of this”. You should mark them and show that you don’t approve of the things that they do. You can still love them, pray for them and bless them without being involved with them. I’m sorry, call me wrong or hypocritical all you want, I know what I believe in my heart is the right thing to do. I don’t care how much twisting they do to try to make me look bad or to get back into our lives; I’m having no part of it. Threats don’t set well with me or work well on me. I’m standing my ground, I know that it’s firm, so I have no trouble standing tall.

Heaven Help Me

I know I've heard it before; we shouldn't try to turn country songs into songs for God. This song is absolutely tremendous though. Just listen to it - it's in my play list. I don't believe it can be said any better. How many of us haven't been confronted with temptation and that temptation usually comes from a need for comfort of some type. It never resolves our problem though only leaves us with more questions and prayers to be prayed. We have all hurt the ones who love us the most and absolutely refused to admit that we did anything wrong but in the end that shame always wins out in one way or another. All we can ever do is ask for help from God. Have you ever read the entire Serenity prayer? It follows the same line of thought. All that we can do is all that we can, the rest is up to God. And as the song says – Faith above all else!!!!

The Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next.Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr

"Heaven Help Me"
I'm no stranger to temptation
I have found some comfort there
But it only leaves me with questions
Never answers, only prayers
I've been as high as angels fly and I've fallen straight to hell
Heaven help me
Heaven help me
'Cause I can't help myself
I have wounded those who love me
And refused to take the blame
I have hidden all my demons
But I cannot hide my shame
I've forgotten who I am
But I know you know me well
Heaven help me
Heaven help me
'Cause I can't help myself
Give me wisdom, give me strength
Give me faith above all else
Heaven help me
Heaven help me
'Cause I can't help myself
Heaven help me
Heaven help me
'Cause I can't help myself

Self

I love it when I hear preaching that is honest and straight from the heart. Tonight that is what I got and it really hit home. I have really been in a slump lately but that has been because I have been all about SELF. Not to go back to my pity party but I must explain the slump. I am truly alone, I have no one to lean on or depend on. No help or support, no relief ever from my kids or my life with them. BUT I have God and that is all that matters. I have to quit worrying about my wants and desires and focus on what God wants for my life.
There is absolutely nothing that I can do to ensure that anyone in this world will like me or be pleased with me but God on the other hand has made that simple. He loves me NO MATTER what and all I must do to keep him pleased with me is try my best to stay in His will for my life. Serve people and they will tolerate you and maybe even be pleased for the time being but it will not make them truly love you. There is nothing I can do besides be myself and treat people in the way that God would have me to. If that leaves me alone in this world then God has a reason for that.
I have never been a very likeable person, not someone that most people can get close to and I know that it is something about me although I'm not sure what. Maybe if I give in to God he can change that too. So time to get rid of self and figure out what God wants from my life. Time for a BRAND NEW ME!!!!