They Know Not What They Do

I was bullied my senior year by some girls that had once claimed to be my best friends. I had left the school for a short time and returned and these girls went from being my friends to being my enemies. I saw one of these girls the other day (now a grown woman) post that she enjoyed seeing "mean girls" who we’re now fat and ugly. This is not verbatim to what she actually put, but you get the gist of what she was saying. This girl who was once a part of several girls bullying me, was now portraying herself to be the victim to mean girls herself. Yet she's still being a mean girl because she’s gloating over the fact that "she thinks" these girls are now fat and ugly. As a grown woman she says this, so it shows me she has not had a heart change and I head back into this relationship knowing that.

I use to mourn the loss of these friendships, but now I’m so thankful that I see through things like this and no longer fall for the wrong things. I now pay attention to what comes out of a person, because it shows us who they are. The fake sweet smiles they portray on the outside may still fool others, but we need to pay attention to what they say and do. I’m thankful that God saved me and redeemed me, I'm thankful He cleaned up my heart and showed me how to identify who was for me and who really was not. I’m thankful that I no longer settle for these friendships or mourn their loss, because I now recognize God was just revealing them for who they were. God was showing me I deserved more and all along He was trying to get me to a place I could finally see that. I am thankful those things were exposed to me so that I could recognize who they are and I do not have to fall for those traps again. Relationships use to be a weakness of mine, because I always looked at the wrong things. I never looked at their character, their integrity, or paid attention to what they said. Those relationships cost me dearly and cost me a lot of pain that tripped me up in my race. Navigating relationships has now become a strength of mine, I can navigate them better now and I no longer get tripped up in my race by them.

What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them (Matthew 15:11 NIV).

Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit (Matthew 7:15-18 NIV).

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me (1 Corinthians 12:9 NIV).

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7 NIV).

Now this does not mean that I will be different to them or treat them according to what they may deserve. I will still continue to be who God has taught me to be to them, because he was that for me and that's what love does. It just means that I am no longer being fooled by who they are or where they are and because I am no longer being deceived and see things for what they are. Just means I will not get hurt because I am no longer expecting more out of people than what they can give, I am just understanding who they are.

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you (John 15:12 NIV).

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give (Matthew 10:8 NIV).

Prayer

Father, thank you for cleaning out our hearts so that we can see clearer to be a good friend, spouse, child, or parent ourselves first, so that we could also see who was ready to be those good and true things to us. Thank you Father for helping us to remove our expectations off of people, expectations they do not have the character or integrity to sustain, so that we could love and see them for who they are. So that we can meet them where they are, just as you have done for all of us. Thank you for removing the plank from our eyes, so that we can help others remove the specks from theirs. Thank you Father for the true Godly friendships you have and will send in their place. You are so faithful and Good. Father, forgive them, because they sincerely know not what they do. Help us to love them as you have loved us, so that their hearts and minds can be cleaned up too. In Jesus name we pray, Amen!

Have you been saved?

If you are someone who has not been saved. I would like to ask you, do you believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead? If you believe that then declare openly with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. If you do these things, then you are, in fact, saved, and I would like to welcome you to the body of Christ.

If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9).

Have you been Holy Spirit Filled?

If you would like to receive power in your walk with God, welcome the Holy Spirit into your life today.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”