A few months ago, a dear friend of mine gave me some of the best encouragement I've ever gotten. I don't think he knew how much it encouraged me at the time. After a rather difficult conversation, he just looked across the table at me and after a minute said, "There is something different about you. Ever since you got back from Europe, there's been something different about you. I have no idea what it is... but I hope its contagious."
That moment humbles me every time I think about it. Because it isn't me. I didn't do it. I didn't change, God changed me.
God is changing me.
As sinful people, we are all works-in-progress. That's one of the things I love most about people... No one is ever still. The people I meet are never the same, one day to the next. There is always something growing, something moving, something changing. I am not the same today as I was yesterday, and neither is my roommate or my best friend or anybody.
The more I learn about my God and the more he draws me near, the more he softens my heart for his people. Which makes sense, since he created them and his heart and glory are exemplified in them. I love everything about it.
When we meet people, we often forget that we are seeing but a snapshot of who they really are. It doesn't matter how often you see them, you will never truly get the whole picture of them. Take my roommate Sam for example. I spend more time with her and know more about her than anyone. But the best I can say is that I have a long string of snapshots of her life, of her heart. At the end of the day, she still needs to fill me in on where she's at, what she's thinking and what God is doing in her life.
I love this. Because whether good or bad, you're never really seeing the whole person. We think we are, but we're wrong. People are constantly changing, moving and growing. Every day, every hour, every minute.
There is incredible grace in this. Because God is the only one who will ever understand us and know us, better even than we know ourselves. No matter how long the string of snapshots may be, no matter how good or bad they may appear, we still don't have the whole picture of the person. Especially when we can't see it, there is something about them that God loves. Passionately. Enough to die for. And they will not be the same person tomorrow as they are today.
I love people so much because I see so much God in them. Because he shows up in incredible ways, if you take a moment to pay attention to the people around you. They are never the same.
That moment humbles me every time I think about it. Because it isn't me. I didn't do it. I didn't change, God changed me.
God is changing me.
As sinful people, we are all works-in-progress. That's one of the things I love most about people... No one is ever still. The people I meet are never the same, one day to the next. There is always something growing, something moving, something changing. I am not the same today as I was yesterday, and neither is my roommate or my best friend or anybody.
The more I learn about my God and the more he draws me near, the more he softens my heart for his people. Which makes sense, since he created them and his heart and glory are exemplified in them. I love everything about it.
When we meet people, we often forget that we are seeing but a snapshot of who they really are. It doesn't matter how often you see them, you will never truly get the whole picture of them. Take my roommate Sam for example. I spend more time with her and know more about her than anyone. But the best I can say is that I have a long string of snapshots of her life, of her heart. At the end of the day, she still needs to fill me in on where she's at, what she's thinking and what God is doing in her life.
I love this. Because whether good or bad, you're never really seeing the whole person. We think we are, but we're wrong. People are constantly changing, moving and growing. Every day, every hour, every minute.
There is incredible grace in this. Because God is the only one who will ever understand us and know us, better even than we know ourselves. No matter how long the string of snapshots may be, no matter how good or bad they may appear, we still don't have the whole picture of the person. Especially when we can't see it, there is something about them that God loves. Passionately. Enough to die for. And they will not be the same person tomorrow as they are today.
I love people so much because I see so much God in them. Because he shows up in incredible ways, if you take a moment to pay attention to the people around you. They are never the same.
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