Motivation for Monday: Be real in your journey

Greetings and Love to my brothers and sisters in Christ,

I come to you on this Monday to discuss the many decisions that we make in life.  Every little decision will lead you to a major decision.  Every major decision will make major shifts in the direction your life is going. . .

Here is your motivation for Monday:
Life is a Journey,

walk it with Jesus
it will be the best decision you make in your lifetime

I have been reminded this week of how our decisions effect other people around us.  Our actions show the person that we are inside.  Of course, we all are capable of wearing masks and showing people who we want them to believe we are, but who are we really?  I have learned that the longer you are around people, the more you get to know them.  The more intimate your relationship, the more you understand about them and therefore the more you know what is really in their heart. Basically, the closer you are to someone, the more in tune you are with their true character.

If we really want to stir this theory, we can begin with the following statement:

Everybody is fake . . .

To a certain degree, we hide our true feelings.  We are often conditioned to hold our tongue's and to be compliant.  We are trained on how not to cause a problem or raise an awareness.  I think what happens when we do this is that it gets all bottled up inside.  One day it is all going to come out anyway, so we might as well be truthful along the journey.  Let us meet others and ourselves where we can admit what is real.  Let us confront those things that hurt us, the people who hurt us, and the experiences that hurt us.  Let us be truthful with ourselves.  Let us seek help from those sent to help us. Let us ask the Lord:

Who am I really?

You will be amazed of what God shows you. . .

We wear masks to protect ourselves.  We wear masks to protect our feelings.  We wear masks to give off false perceptions of who we need others to perceive us as.  People treat us the way that they do because of the person we communicate to be.  Better yet, people treat us the way they do because of the person they perceive us to be. I'm not saying that we do this on purpose but it is all part of the subconscious processing going on inside of our selves.  This is the reason we wear different masks around different people.  We subconsciously want to be treated a certain way, so we act a certain way, around certain people.  If you want to be treated how you ought to be treated, be yourself.  If you want to be treated how you "think" you want to be treated, continue to wear your mask.

I think this is why people really act the way that they act and the reason why they can't be real.  People want to be treated with respect and relevance.  People want to have power and be reminded of the work that they do.  We as the human race do this, some at higher levels than others.  All in all this is the point I want to make. . .

Don't try to hide the person you are.  Release the stress, be who you are, then let God fix your flaws from there.

This is easy for me to say, but not so easy to do.  I am a recovering people pleaser.  As a people pleaser I wore a mask for every different situation that I was in.  As the competent teacher, I was resourceful, organized, and a manager of all things.  As the youth leader I was the responsible mentor who was reliable and trust worthy.  As the worthy daughter I was well mannered and obedient.  But when it came to my life at home where nobody could see, I was the uptight, yeller, messy, unreliable wife, mother, and friend who couldn't pull it together.

I was so wrong in my actions . . .

I was so tired by my actions . . .

I was ready to make a decision for change. . .

I often don't write about my husband, but I have to tell you that he is the opposite of a people pleaser.  I can honestly say that he is a person who doesn't care about what others think of him; as a result, he is the most consistent in his personality then anyone that I know.  I am not saying that he is perfect, but I am saying that he is real.  Here goes another realization:  Being the person you really are is not going to make people like you more.  Sometimes, being who you really are will make some people see that they can't use you or easily manipulate you for their own selfish needs.  As a result, your true friends remain true, and your fake friends will move on.  This is not anyone's fault, it's just that everyone is at different stages in their journey. . .

Everyone needs time to grow.

How can we get anywhere with growth if we can't admit that we are wrong sometimes.  Some of us are wrong all the time, but we think we are right.  This brings me back to how we should treat each other.  The bible says that we should love one another.   I think a lot of us are confused in this because we don't know the definition of love.  We don't understand the full potential of love.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love Never Fails

1 Corinthians 4-8

Friends, let me tell you that in every decision that we make we should make it in love.  I am not saying that I do that all of the time.  The Lord actually showed me that a lot of my decisions have been selfish and self-serving lately.  He showed me how hurt I was by some actions that other people did towards me and my family; these actions were not done in love.  As a result, my hurt feelings sought to hurt someone else's feelings and I felt very justified in doing so at the time.  However, over time there was something going on on the inside of me that was changing who I wanted to be as a person.  I made a decision to forgive and move on.  I made a decision to be brave and to not be used because of my people pleasing ways.  It was selfish, but it was necessary to get closer to my true character.  

This is the biggest revelation yet: 

My people pleasing ways were from the result of needing to feel wanted and accepted which was seeded from selfish and prideful desires.  The praise and notoriety that I received from doing things at work, and at church were empty, but I sought after it anyway.  Why? Because I wanted recognition:  It was Vanity, all Vanity. . .

I had to let it go.

 The decision that I had made created a major shift in my life.  I thank God that he continues to teach me the healing power of forgiveness.  He also shows me how to be patient with people as they figure out who they really are.  Know this friends: Hurt people, hurt people.  Show your love by being patient with them and not responding to them in the wrong way.  Be aware in how you respond to people.  What kind of person do you really want to be?

Nobody is perfect and everyone makes mistakes.  Remember to love because God first loved us.  Walk your journey, being aware that every step is for your growth and learning.

The following song has been in my heart and I want to share it with you:

Some of the Lyrics:

The truth can hurt you
Or the truth can change you
What would truth do to you

I just wanna be happy
But if I keep on doing the things
That keep on bringing me pain
There's no one else I can blame
If I'm not happy
Wasted time but now I can see
The biggest enemy it was me
So I'm not happy

Cry yourself to sleep
Shout and raise your hands
It wont change a thing child
Until you understand

If you're tired of being the same
If you're tired of things not changing
It's time for you to get out the way
Don't get stuck in how you feel
Say Jesus take the wheel
He knows the road that you need to take
(But it only works if)
If you wanna be happy
(Look at yourself and say)
Don't you wanna be happy
I just wanna be happy

But if I keep on giving my heart
For people to tear apart
The healing will never start
So I can be happy
Will I ever be happy

The most important decision that we can make in life is that decision to let go and let God.  It is that decision to say, "You know what Lord, I tried it my way and it is not working."

When we say "Jesus take the wheel in my life," we are making a decision that will effect so many people around us.  We must stay true to who we are and who Jesus is helping us to be.  It is a journey to walk with him.  He will continue to tell us to change our mind about a lot of things that we think we are doing right.  Build a relationship with the Lord and you will know him better.  You will understand that he has been real this whole time.  Jesus doesn't wear masks.  Jesus really loves you and his decisions are always out of love.

Live

Live life

and live it on purpose

Until Next Time

-Tamorra

p.s. I pray that all of this makes sense as I ramble on and on.  God be with you. May this post reach who it needs to reach, in the time it needs to reach them.  Let it be a blessing to the heart and encouraging to the soul. Amen, Amen.