A Blessed Confidence (8 of 21)
Series: The Promise of a Sound Mind
Eddie Snipes
Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?
Isaiah 2:22 NIV
When Jesus began His ministry, He performed miracles that caused many to believe on Him. But the Bible says even though the people were praising Him, Jesus didn't commit Himself to them, for He knew what was in man.
People are fickle. In a short moment a friend can become a foe. In Jesus' life, one day the masses were shouting, "Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord," and a few short days later, the same crowd was crying, "Crucify Him!"
We cannot make people into our confidence. There are indeed loyal friends and faithful spouses; however, even a true companion does not have the capacity to bear the burden of our happiness. It's unjust to put the weight of your emotional health on the shoulders of another. It's also a recipe for your own disaster.
People aren't perfect and they will let you down. You will also let them down. Each of us views the world from our own perspective and what makes me happy may not make my wife or friends happy. Add to that, if I am burdening those around me with the demands of my own perceived needs, I am also driving love out of those relationships.
Human nature falsely identifies love as a relationship that meets the individual's perceived needs. I'm using the term 'perceived needs' because many times what we think is a need, or what we think will provide fulfillment, is based on our perception at the moment. Perceived needs often drive people to seek fulfillment in ways that may or may not be healthy. What is a perceived need today may not be something we value tomorrow.
When we look at relationships based on what will make us happy, we aren't truly seeking love, but self. Selfish motives are often misinterpreted as love, but love is much deeper and stronger than self-serving motives. Let's take a moment to conside ...
Series: The Promise of a Sound Mind
Eddie Snipes
Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?
Isaiah 2:22 NIV
When Jesus began His ministry, He performed miracles that caused many to believe on Him. But the Bible says even though the people were praising Him, Jesus didn't commit Himself to them, for He knew what was in man.
People are fickle. In a short moment a friend can become a foe. In Jesus' life, one day the masses were shouting, "Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord," and a few short days later, the same crowd was crying, "Crucify Him!"
We cannot make people into our confidence. There are indeed loyal friends and faithful spouses; however, even a true companion does not have the capacity to bear the burden of our happiness. It's unjust to put the weight of your emotional health on the shoulders of another. It's also a recipe for your own disaster.
People aren't perfect and they will let you down. You will also let them down. Each of us views the world from our own perspective and what makes me happy may not make my wife or friends happy. Add to that, if I am burdening those around me with the demands of my own perceived needs, I am also driving love out of those relationships.
Human nature falsely identifies love as a relationship that meets the individual's perceived needs. I'm using the term 'perceived needs' because many times what we think is a need, or what we think will provide fulfillment, is based on our perception at the moment. Perceived needs often drive people to seek fulfillment in ways that may or may not be healthy. What is a perceived need today may not be something we value tomorrow.
When we look at relationships based on what will make us happy, we aren't truly seeking love, but self. Selfish motives are often misinterpreted as love, but love is much deeper and stronger than self-serving motives. Let's take a moment to conside ...
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