By beholding we become changed...

Several years ago I came across a blog that really intrigued me. There was a lot of talk of the simple life. At that time watching "The Little House on the Prairie" series -so this idea was very appealing to me. I started going to the blog every day. Well I soon found out that this blogger lived very close to me. That was a surprise. Well then when I got onto facebook - I came across her name and requested we be "friends." So we have been "friends" for a year and a half or so.
I don't know if she has really changed or if I have really changed - but since I am only responsible for cleaning up my side of the street-I will just focus on it being me that has changed. And truthfully it very well could be me. Anyway over the last couple of months I have noticed that we no longer hold to the same beliefs. Don't get me wrong, I don't expect everyone to believe the same way I do but I noticed that we were like on opposite sides of the spectrum. And I also noticed that when I read her status updates - it would rob my peace. So I have had some convictions that I needed to let this "friendship" go. I felt bad because I did not want to hurt her feelings. Well this morning when I made a post she commented on my post - and it because clear that our "friendship" was no longer something that I needed to have in my life. I want to be uplifted. I want to feel closer to God - not feel like I am being pulled away from God. I understand the idea that by beholding we become changed. Well since I tend to be a people pleaser I did not want to hurt her feelings by deleting her as a friend but I am not here on this earth to please people - I am here to please God. And I felt that no longer could I be "friends" with her and still be pleasing to God.

We live in a society that yells for there to be tolerance - but what I have found as of late is that these same people that yell for tolerance - do not have tolerance for others. And I think that we can have tolerance for people without allowing them to change us. I don't have to be friends with her in order to tolerate her - I can best tolerate her by allowing her to be her and giving myself the freedom to be myself. And if that is done easier without her being my "friend" then that works the best for me. So this morning I found her name and looked for the X to the right. And clicked it, I instantly felt peace.

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27

It is so cool that when you allow God to lead and you do what he directs - you feel peace. I want to continue on my journey towards a closer relationship with God. And if that means making some difficult choices then I need to be willing to do so. The reward outweighs any of the stress of doing what the Holy Spirit directs us to do.