To those who have strayed:
I know that life is hard. I know that sometimes people we love make wrong choices. I know that sometimes people we respect behave badly. But I also know that people are not God. They are not perfect. They are simply doing the best they can at this moment to try and hold it all together. Sometimes that means that we are really falling apart.
We can all say that we know someone who is unworthy, or even hypocritical. That person can also be ourselves. I found a long time ago, that I am the one responsible for my own testimony and faith. If I am doing the things that are right, what someone else believes or saysdoes not influence me. I love it when people share the positive. I dislike it when I am always on the defense with those I care about because my beliefs are different, but all the arguing in the world does not change my faith, my hope or my own belief. Even when I can't defend those beliefs, it just makes me study harder so that I can be more prepared next time.
I have learned that none of us have the power to convince someone to believe when their eyes are not opened and their hearts are far from Him. Then I resort to the scriptures. I especially love the one that says,
Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, might, mind and strength. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like unto it; Love thy neighbor as thyself.
I don't see anything there about only loving those who believe the same as me, or who are easy to love. I only see that we are supposed to love each other.
People in the church can hurt you. I have had that happen to me in very hard ways. But you should know that God always loves you. Why in the world do we let others who might not even like us, determine our own relationship to our Heavenly Father who loves us unconditionally?
He is my anchor. People are nice to have around, but I worship always to get closer to Him.
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