Greatness & Strength
When I see the things which are truthful and pure, I see strength. All of us want to be stronger, but
I hope within that it is not for reasons of ill intent. Many times, when we are hurt by something or
someone, we wish to rise to a level of strength where we consider ourselves stronger than that which
opposed us and hurt us. It seems to me that the way to go that would be most
beneficial is to put ourselves into that which supports truth and life.
I would think that something that would be of utmost importance would be to seek to have a sensitive
heart. A heart that grows in sensitivity will grow in understanding,.. and understanding will reveal
how to interact with everything that we come in contact with. Learn to be observant of yourself and
everything that happens around you. When someone upsets you, what was touched inside you that brought
out anger? When you are watching a movie and a certain scene makes you cry,.. why is that? Is the actor
carrying out something that you have always desired to do and you are filled with elation in seeing
it portrayed in the part they are playing?.. Has the actor just shown an act of compassion towards another
in a way that is not usually done because it opens up an area of vulnerability and inside, you are
commending them for caring for another?.. Have they performed an act which shows discipline and
strength of character in that they took a stand for something they believe in even though it took
sacrafice and it inspires you to step forward for something you believe in or it awakens a dream within
you that has been dormant?.. I'm not saying to become an analytical fanatic. There's usually a different
kind of agenda behind that and one that doesn't seem to bring peace with it. I'm saying to be sensitive
when information is coming in that gives way to understanding, resolve, and encouragement. One of the
major steps in finding your own strengths is that as you become more sensitive and aware of things you
will become more aware of and sensitive to what you truely believe in and where the love of your heart
is truely invested. Be ready to give yourself a little grace here.. because if any of us start to delve
into understanding what makes up who we are, we are bound to find some things that we're not gonna like.
But.. in the process of seeking to see these different parts, we also have a
choice of what we wish to hold on to. As we go through life we are surrounded
by the influences of many people and situations. Sometimes knowingly and sometimes unknowingly we have
desired and taken on goals from other influences around us even though our heart at times was telling us
to do otherwise. When we perform an act that our heart is against, we divide our strength. If we find
that we are using people to reach some goal that we had set for ourselves and yet another
part of us believes in the fact that we shouldn't use others then we are divided within ourselves.
Abraham Lincoln once said, "A nation divided against itself cannot stand". So where did he get that?
I think it was from this statement; "A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand". So it is with each
one of us also. When our thoughts are divided within and we do or say things that are contradictory to
one another then we are not living in the fullness of strength and potential of who we can be. There is
a line that I found a long time ago that is simple but carries a lot of strength with it. The line is:
"Happy is the man who does what his heart approves of." If you meet someone who lives by this, you'll
know it by their contenance. You can tell that they have been to a place where they wanted to see who
they were in God's eyes.. because he, knowing every part of what makes us up can show us exactly what to
hold on to, (the things which support truth and life), and things that would be best to release, (the things
that are harmful for us). In my understanding, to grow into the greatest strength and potential that exist
for us is to draw near to God's interpretation of what that strength and potential is.. for those that
would seek to draw near to God, draw near to greatness, because He is great.. and if you are willing to
take on the attributes of greatness, you will effect the things around you in great ways..
..and those lives which have the attributes of greatness don't become great because of who they are,
but because of the greatness of God's presence
with them..
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