draw closer instead of repelling…

when i share my hidden secrets with another person, first of all its liberating, then its empowering and then it is endearing.  what i mean by that is when you’re honest about your weakness to somebody else it actually draws that person closer to you instead of repelling them away.

we think that people will like us if we pretend we’ve got it all together and we put on a show and we wear a mask and pretend that we’re perfect.  actually that doesn’t work at all.  we actually are gathered to, we gravitate toward people who are authentic.  we like them.  we gravitate toward people who are humble.  so when you do that it actually causes people to be closer to you rather than further away. 

anytime i write here on bill’s front porch and i tell you one of my faults or one of my weaknesses you like me more.  you really do.  the fact is we like people who just admit it.  “bill doesn’t think he’s some hot shot.  he’s just like us.  he has the same problems we do.  he messes up just like we do.  we’re all in the same boat.” 

if all i did was tell you how great i am and how strong i am you’d say, “well whoopty-do for you!  that’s not me.  i’m not in that situation.  forget it.”  but when you share a weakness, a sin, a struggle, a fault people go, “that’s like me!”

just a thought from the front porch… 

it makes your day more productive…

another thing that will help us with our conflicts is to grow closer to GOD.  james 4.8 (nlt), come close to GOD, and GOD will come close to you.

listen, the more time you spend alone with GOD, the better you will get along with other people.  count on it!  when the argument level rises in our marriage it means that someone is not spending time with the LORD.  it’s that simple.  grow closer to GOD.

isaiah 26.3 (nlt), YOU (GOD) will keep in perfect peace all who trust in YOU, all whose thoughts are fixed on YOU!

when you spend time with the LORD, your turn your thoughts to HIM, then you get along better with others because HE keeps perfect peace in your heart and you’re not as irritable. 

have you noticed some people only draw close to GOD when they’re in trouble?  they only pray when they have a need.  you need to spend time with HIM, bible study, sunday, daily quiet time – make times for these things. 

you say you’re too busy?  then maybe you’re too busy.  maybe you need to cut some things out of your schedule to make more time to spend time with the LORD.  the more you spend time with the LORD, the more you’re going to enjoy the rest of your time.  it will be more productive, more beneficial.  you’ll get along better with others, have fewer arguments because you’re spending time with GOD.

draw closer to GOD, HE’ll keep you in peace.  get up 15 minutes earlier each morning.  maybe start with the book of john, that’s what i am reading right now.  read and pray and notice the difference in your attitude and the relationships the rest of the day.  i challenge you to do that.

the conflict in your life is in direct proportion to the time you’re spending with GOD.

there is a great promise here too.  when you in genuineness draw close to GOD, HE will come close to you.  HE doesn’t back off, HE draws close to you.  when you move toward HIM, HE moves toward you.

you give in to GOD, get wise to satan, draw close to GOD.

just a thought from the front porch…