We
often look to people to supply all of our needs. We expect them to do what only
God can do for us. We want them to anticipate our needs, and to provide them,
so we do not even have to ask. This is actually very unrealistic.
It
is healthier for us to trust God to supply, so that we can meet our own needs.
We know our self and our necessities better than anyone else does, and we can
nurture and provide for our self in the same way that we support other people
(Mark 12:30-31).
Having
expectations that others will remember what we asked for, or that they will
make the time to give us what we need, will only cause frustration and
resentment to grow in our soul, and put a wedge in our heart that divides us.
In
a perfect world, we would love others, and they would love us; we would give
and they would give to us; we would serve one another as Jesus serves His
Church. A reciprocal relationship where we prefer one another above our self
would be common.
However,
even the most well-intentioned people often get so caught up in their own
agenda that they tend to neglect us and our needs. They may even ask too much
of us, and this is when we need to be honest, and to explain our limitations.
Reciprocally,
we can ask them what we can do for them to lighten their load, and we can share
our needs with them; however, when we entertain unrealistic goals and
expectations for others to meet our needs, we only set up our self for
disappointment.
We
often take an inventory of the faults in our friends and family, and we listen
to Satan's lies about their shortcomings. We do not take the time to appreciate
them, to show gratitude toward them, or to cherish them because of all that
they already do for us.
Prayer:
Father
God, remind us that we all have our faults, and we cannot judge others harshly
because of theirs. Allowing others to have their faults will help us to accept
them just as they are. Remind us not to keep a record of wrongs (1 Corinthians
13:4-7), but to make lists of one another's strengths. Teach us to admire,
enjoy, and appreciate each other.
We
want to affirm and confirm each other's successes and accomplishments -
especially for the little things they do for us that should mean so much to us.
Our intimate relationship with You is all that we really need in this life. You
fill our heart with love, encouragement, and contentment, and You actually
rejoice over us with singing (Zephaniah 3:17).
Thought
for the Day:
Our
well-being is our responsibility, and God is always available to aid us in
meeting our own needs, rather than expecting other people to meet them for us;
this takes the pressure off of the imperfect people in our life, and reminds us
that we have our faults too.
