Bible Verse Friday #14

"Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself."~ Matthew 22:37-39

Doesn't this sound like such an easy commandment?
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

And it sounds fairly simple to "Love your neighbor as yourself".
But both of these commandments are so much harder then they sound.

When we are faced with adversity we tend to ask God, "Why"?
We question his love for us.
We doubt that he has a plan for us.
We listen to the ways of the world and allow them to influence us.
Of course we are the ones who are in the wrong.
We are the ones who are told to LOVE the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind.
When we allow the world to influence our mind...
it'll change our heart....
it'll corrode our souls.
Leaving it nearly impossible to love God fully with what is left of our heart.
We don't have whole hearts when we have doubt about his plan.

I'm guilty of questioning his plan and goals for my life.
I'm guilty of not loving him fully.
But he knows this.
He knows that none of us is perfect.
What we can do is stop those doubts in their tracks as they attempt to infiltrate our daily lives.
We have to make a conscience effort to stop questioning him and simply reply, "I love you God.  I want what your will is for me.  Your plan is perfect, I am not.  Mold me".

As if that is not hard enough we are also told to love our neighbors.
Oh my!
This can be so difficult.
Co-workers, friends, strangers, actual neighbors, etc.....
We judge.
We aren't supposed to, but we do.
Another conscience effort we must make when those judgmental thoughts corrode our hearts.
When we allow ourselves to judge we lose the ability to love as God loves.
We take on a role that is not ours.
Why does it seem so simple to judge?
Give up judgmental attitudes.
We will never know a person's story if we live this way.
So I challenge you as you start your weekend that instead of commenting on someone negatively try to find the positive in people.

Although these two commandments are so easy to read and comprehend they are two of the hardest to put into action.
I have faith in all of you.
I too will be working hard to change my attitude.
Let's help each other!
I hope you all had a Blessed Friday!