All You Need Is

Since God is constantly making me new, why do I continue to hold on to my past? The thing is, no matter how much I try to convince myself that I am living in the present I always become aware of all of the grudges I keep holding in the back of my head. I think about my friends. I'm guilty of seeing my friends in two categories, likes and dislikes. Often, I find myself judging people to the extent of saying, "I really like this person, but if they did this or stopped doing this...I'd probably like them more." Sometimes I need wake up calls. We all need wake up calls. I need to realize I'm not as important as I think I am. God doesn't love me for the person I'm striving to be, he loves me for who I am. When I love people conditionally, or try to shape people into the person I want them to be, I'm taking advantage of God. I'm creating a double standard. I get this beautiful love as a free gift from God and I take it and keep it to myself. Then, I give others this love that really isn't love at all. If love has any type of conditions to it, then it isn't. Now, as humans, it's nearly impossible to constantly give out this true love, but would it hurt to try? Because, that's something this world desperately needs. Failures. People who try their best, only seeing the best possibilities, and get back up every time they fall. People who don't stop believing in their potential.

So, take tomorrow. You could think about your friend as someone who has good things and bad things about them. Or, you could thank God for all of the good things about them and love them anyways. Love them even if they lose some of this good - or all of it for that matter. Love like God does. Love without judgment. Love without categorizing people's goods vs. bads. Then, accept love. People so often get in the rhythm of pouring themselves out to others and rejecting it when they do the same. Love works both ways. Take a second  and think about how blessed you are to have the people in your life right now who love you as much as they do. I know when I think about this, giving love back becomes a whole lot easier, not just to the people that love me, but to everyone else. So, my challenge to you is to judge yourself, for a change. Look for this holy love in your heart, find out where love is missing, and fill the void. Give love. Receive love. Repeat. Thanks for reading. I love you.