Thursday, June 25, 2009 "Sandpaper People"

Triumphant Victorious Reminders
Inspired by the Holy Spirit
By: Teresa Criswell

"Let love for your fellow believers continue and be a fixed practice with you [never let it fail]."
~ Hebrews 12:1 ~

Have you been around someone that didn't like you? It isn't that they go out of their way to tell you with words they don't like you. It is their actions that "tell on themselves". I would be more ok with it if it wasn't someone that I knew, but being that it is someone I know, I really struggle.

I have gone to the Lord about a situation I am walking through right now. You have no idea how badly I wanted to allow the flesh to rise up and just confront the issue 'head on'. By nature, I am not a confrontational person, however, I have been tempted to get to that point.

Surprisingly today, through this situation as I was going to God with my hurts and questions, I was challenged by His love. I was challenged to look within my own heart. Even though I had 'justifiable' reasons to point out the issues in this particular person. In this mode I saw through 'justifying' eyes why people don't like to be around this person.

However, the challenge from the Lord today as I looked into my heart I saw things I had rather not seen. Yet, to get over this feeling of inadequacy when I'm around this person I knew I had to deal with what God was highlighting in my heart.

This is what I discovered, I have an issue with wanting to please people. I have the 'please approve of me' syndrome. I realized today that this is another root attached to pride. The reason it is pride is because I am concerned about ME and how I feel when I please people. It has nothing to do with wanting to truly please them; it's about how I feel in the process of the pleasing. It is another 'point' for me in the game and in the process of the game that person might benefit, but truly it had nothing to do with them (It is embarassing to even reveal that)...LOL!

Through this hard lesson that I have learned today from the Lord is that my purpose is to please Him. In this process, it may not be received by some, just like when I try to please others, it still won't be received by everyone. However, it is getting to that point that when I place my pleasing attitude onto God then it won't matter in the long run to me if someone else was 'pleased' by my actions, for my concern is only on the Lord.

I heard this quote a few years ago from my dear friend Sue as she was led by the Holy Spirit. She said to me, "Teresa, when you 'try' to please others they won't take pleasure in what you do. However, when you please God, many will take pleasure in what you do." I sort of got it then when she said it, however, it rings more true today as I am reminded of what was said.

This is difficult for someone like me. However, God has revealed a tiny glimpse that being around 'sandpaper' people will smooth off the 'splintered' areas of my own heart. However, this will only happen when I allow God to show me what I need to change in my own heart. Looking at 'them' and being focused on what needs to be changed in their heart is not going to cause change in my own heart.

I cannot be concerned for that person's heart by focusing on them and their weaknesses. I have to rise up and out and pray for these type of people, releasing the way I feel around them to the Lord. I learned today that what I need to change in my own life is to please Him more.

I am finding at this moment as I write that what pleases Him most is when I direct my praises to Him. I need to quit rehearsing what that person did or how I felt as I am around them. Rehearsing those things only praises it. I don't want to praise that situation or feeling in any way.

I must re-focus. My focus must be on the Lord. The Lord is Love, He not only HAS love but more importantly HE IS LOVE! I am reminded at this moment that "love covers all sins" ~ Proverbs 10:12.