“Our Daily Bread”     http://odb.org/

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie    http://www.harvest.org/devotional

  This link explains why God’s grace is sufficient-  https://www.gotquestions.org/my-grace-is-sufficient.html

Written by Gabrielle Guthrie for “See, there’s this thing called biology…~insanitybytes” @ https://insanitybytes2.wordpress.com/

Original post found @ https://insanitybytes2.wordpress.com/2024/05/04/when-people-stomp-on-our-pride/

When People Stomp on Our Pride

04SaturdayMay 2024

Posted by insanitybytes22 in Uncategorized

First, let me clarify, this is not about tolerating disrespect. I am not suggesting that anyone has to put up with bullying or abuse nor am I saying that mistreating others is okay. It is not. In fact, that’s part of why I am writing this because it happens constantly and it’s not okay. We can’t control it, but we sure can control how we respond to it.

As Christians, we do have the added challenges stemming from those bothersome passages about the need to “turn the other cheek” and to “love your neighbor.” As you forgive, so shall you be forgiven. And of course, as you judge so shall you be judged. This has nothing to do with being a doormat, it has to do with cultivating a spirit that can genuinely look at somebody and just think, “forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.”

Somebody smart once said, “The bad news is that it’s not all about you all of the time. The good news is also that it’s not all about you all of the time.” How people treat you is not necessarily a reflection of you, it is often a reflection of who they are and what they are experiencing. That can be some tough meat to chew on! As people, we tend to think it really is all about us, all of the time.

When people stomp on our pride and we react with offense and anger, one problem is that it demonstrates our own insecurities and fears. We are not who other people say we are, we are who God says we are. If we genuinely believe that and we turn to Him for constant and frequent reassurance, then the poor behavior of others will have almost no impact on us.

Pride is almost always the flip side of shame. If someone is stomping on our pride what they are really doing is triggering our shame. As Christians, we are supposed to set our shame down at the foot of the cross. Jesus died, “despising the shame” on our behalf. So if we have picked up shame along the way (which most of us have,) we are called to turn right around and put it down at His feet. It is not ours to carry. It does not belong to us! Ask Him to heal those insecurities and fears, to wash away our shame. When we can walk in humility and stay in a state of grace, we will have no pride to stomp on. People will just be swinging at dead air.

There is a lot of big stuff that can happen to us, murder, theft, affairs, child abuse, spousal abuse, injustice, and some genuinely challenging issues that can strain the whole concept of forgiveness. I’m setting all of those Big Things aside for a moment and just talking about the petty things.

The really dumb things. (No doubt I’ve just stomped on someone’s pride by suggesting some things are “petty,” but they really are.) I’m talking about taking great offense over stuff that just doesn’t matter. Making huge, emotional mountains out of mole hills. Family estrangements developing over cool whip versus whip cream. Church splits happening over carpet colors. Hating someone because you envy their shoes.

We can (and probably should) tar and feather our leaders for all I care, but when it comes to family, friends, and even just some passing acquaintances, we are actually called to engage in unconditional love, constant renewable forgiveness, and to practice radical grace. Renewable forgiveness as in okay great, now do it again, 70 times 70.

Practicing radical grace is how people will know we are Christians. The Bible says, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” “As I have loved you,”   That means we must extend to others the same kind of radical grace that we ourselves have received from Him.

How has Jesus loved us? With mercy, grace, redemption, understanding, forgiveness, healing, love, and life and life abundant.

It’s not easy and nobody is perfect. I don’t wish to sound like I am lecturing and criticizing. We call it “practicing radical grace” because it is not only “radical” but it also takes a lot of “practice.” You will hit some sour notes sometimes. You will even mess it all up sometimes and bless someone else with the opportunity to “practice.“

My heart is just aching for the condition of Christianity as I see it portrayed on social media and in so many actual relationships on the ground.

The fruits of our failures are evident in our divisions, resentments, and assorted unkindness to one another.

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P.S. (from bruce)  When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !!  If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ??  Here is the truth about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…   https://godsmanforever.com

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…

You say you are a “born again” believer…  BUT is your soul “ON FIRE” for the Lord ??  If not, open this link – https://godsmanforever.com/2020/08/01/are-you-a-christian-in-gods-eyes-and-on-fire-for-the-lord-or-not/

Picture credit:  https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=58ac0b011cee9c7d&rlz=1C1SQJL_enUS1066US1066&sxsrf=ADLYWIJDqsN0nc2FYOXdDC5ARSutydFYiA:1714823789926&q=image+2+cor+12:9&udm=2&source=univ&fir=hgm3cmJba2Q5RM%252CPNy8zi0lgRItJM%252C_%253BzkogeQXZfAaW7M%252CezT2fd7ZqYn7GM%252C_%253BMEQwGqeBrjUI6M%252CzocLJ7RhS2w7rM%252C_%253BJONCpGzeam5h9M%252CPpxpDDEeFuFxbM%252C_%253BCDke7iNIuryOIM%252CpJ-4VUEvD2pTjM%252C_%253BU8sq9WJdpb-_3M%252CbFTL7IKQaWNNSM%252C_%253BdU72G6AtuHWaDM%252CfI5tajBWR19n7M%252C_%253B8IaSh9QW65pcjM%252CywzGhr7xCDi6QM%252C_%253BNKFa0ypJqYTsvM%252C3z-3gT1b-S6tyM%252C_%253BMIeQXL1LwMTcVM%252Ctmn_cjbLCN92DM%252C_%253B9mbIKZ5G8yBSKM%252CxoaKt2yU5WDExM%252C_%253BzCEHZPbZdM5IUM%252CezT2fd7ZqYn7GM%252C_%253BotvLHJzY6oEenM%252CoYl7CZ–_wu7NM%252C_%253BoD0thxyuvuAu9M%252CTbQDNcZhZa_sTM%252C_%253ByurlwBCDnUij4M%252Cmp99itdAJ_AWpM%252C_&usg=AI4_-kRj50E6i6FvjRegGxTyXuRnxQ9s8A&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjP_ea2-POFAxUllIkEHWzIDMsQ7Al6BAgUEEw&biw=1399&bih=926&dpr=1#vhid=MIeQXL1LwMTcVM&vssid=mosaic