"That is exactly true", I thought to myself while pumping gas.
I have always believed life is a school of sorts. We are here to learn and to grow spiritually and emotionally. Here are some of my quips:
"If life is a school, why are some people stuck in kindergarten?",
"Repeat after me, this is a test, this is only a test" and
"If life is a school, why does it take me so long to learn the lesson?"
And then there are those who don't learn their lessons and will have to give it another go-round, if you get my drift.
Who are You Loving
This bumper sticker was a powerful reminder to me of where my focus ought to be. Life is all about learning to love ourselves, others, and God in a balanced and healthy way. It seems strange to me that some Christians don't believe you should love yourself. What? Remember the second greatest commandment "Love your neighbor as yourself." A pastor friend recently told me on Facebook that the concept of loving ourselves is from our "modern culture." Again, what? I'd "love" to hear your thoughts on this one.
Who are You Loving
This bumper sticker was a powerful reminder to me of where my focus ought to be. Life is all about learning to love ourselves, others, and God in a balanced and healthy way. It seems strange to me that some Christians don't believe you should love yourself. What? Remember the second greatest commandment "Love your neighbor as yourself." A pastor friend recently told me on Facebook that the concept of loving ourselves is from our "modern culture." Again, what? I'd "love" to hear your thoughts on this one.
Balance is Key
It takes practice and awareness. Most of us tip towards one direction or another and it's only when problems arise, we realize we have been out of balance in our love walk. For example, take the workaholic who neglects his/her family and ends up dealing with an affair, a divorce, or a rebellious teen. The scales were tipped too heavily on the work facet of life, right? Or the mother who idolizes her kids but neglects her own well being. Who is she not loving?
Don't Play the Blame Game
So what to do? When problems arise, don't just push through them or ignore them. Problems in life are a sign that something needs to be addressed. We must take responsibility for our lives and not continually blame our parents, our boss, or other people. That's what Adam and Eve did way back when. It wasn't the answer then and it isn't the answer now.
The answer is to realize what part I have played in the dramas in my life. Ask myself these questions: "How loving have I been - to others, to myself and ultimately, to God?" "Did I do the honorable thing?" Most of the time the honorable thing is the most difficult thing to do. But that's where courage and integrity come in. Am I living according to my highest values or am I succumbing to the pressures of others, society, my past hurts and wounds? It takes self-reflection and courage to heal our wounds.
Call it Karma
If we want to move forward in life, we must take responsibility for our actions. It is true, we reap what we sow. Call it karma if you like, but you get the idea. Whenever we fail to do the loving thing towards ourselves or others, it will always come back to bite us. We will get back what we put out. Learning to love is a lifelong practice and the good news is we get plenty of opportunities.
For Reflection
What relationship needs some tending? Who can you be more loving towards today? Your spouse? Your parents? Yourself? Love to hear your thoughts on this post so drop me a note via email or leave a comment on the blog or on Facebook.
Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this post and would like to join our community, please enter your email in the box provided. When you do, I'll send you a copy of my free e-guide entitled "How to Develop a Spiritual Practice".
Stay tuned for more positive and practical wisdom and until next time, keep looking up!
Ariel Paz
All rights reserved. If you wish to use this material contact me at arielpaz08@gmail.com
Don't Play the Blame Game
So what to do? When problems arise, don't just push through them or ignore them. Problems in life are a sign that something needs to be addressed. We must take responsibility for our lives and not continually blame our parents, our boss, or other people. That's what Adam and Eve did way back when. It wasn't the answer then and it isn't the answer now.
The answer is to realize what part I have played in the dramas in my life. Ask myself these questions: "How loving have I been - to others, to myself and ultimately, to God?" "Did I do the honorable thing?" Most of the time the honorable thing is the most difficult thing to do. But that's where courage and integrity come in. Am I living according to my highest values or am I succumbing to the pressures of others, society, my past hurts and wounds? It takes self-reflection and courage to heal our wounds.
Call it Karma
If we want to move forward in life, we must take responsibility for our actions. It is true, we reap what we sow. Call it karma if you like, but you get the idea. Whenever we fail to do the loving thing towards ourselves or others, it will always come back to bite us. We will get back what we put out. Learning to love is a lifelong practice and the good news is we get plenty of opportunities.
For Reflection
What relationship needs some tending? Who can you be more loving towards today? Your spouse? Your parents? Yourself? Love to hear your thoughts on this post so drop me a note via email or leave a comment on the blog or on Facebook.
Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this post and would like to join our community, please enter your email in the box provided. When you do, I'll send you a copy of my free e-guide entitled "How to Develop a Spiritual Practice".
Stay tuned for more positive and practical wisdom and until next time, keep looking up!
Ariel Paz
All rights reserved. If you wish to use this material contact me at arielpaz08@gmail.com
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