What Matters Most!

I try to keep my blog focused on constructive thoughts and ideas that help lead to a closer walk with Jesus. But there are times when I just want to vent; times when circumstances in my life just make me want to SCREAM!!! So with that thought in mind, this is one of those rants. What I write may be useful to some who might read it, especially if you are in a similar situation… to others it might make you laugh, cry, or just want to ignore my pathetic ramblings. But it is my blog and this is what I feel like today.

Sometimes I get so tired of every ones opinion. I don’t want to hear anything more from those who think they have me or what happens to me all figured out. Frankly I don’t think many, if any, have me ‘ALL FIGURED OUT’, I grew up in an environment that taught me well to keep my innermost thoughts and feelings to myself. I have not had many experiences since childhood that have given me any reason to change this. If anything, I have found far more reasons not to!

Don’t get me wrong I know I am not perfect… FAR FROM IT! And I know I could use a little advice every now and again. I still welcome… in fact I crave constructive criticism from those who mean well, from those who truly care to see me do better. But what I don’t want to hear… what I can’t stand hearing, is the criticism from those whose only purpose for their comment is to bring up and wallow in what happened yesterday, and I don’t mean ‘yesterday’ in the literal sense. The sad part is that most of the de-construction that takes place in my life is from those closest to me, those that should have a different agenda. I struggle the most with this! I am commanded by God to maintain the proper attitude, care, love and respect regardless of the situation… but, to be honest I think I fail at this more than I succeed. Still, with all my heart I try!

Because of this, I have come to a realization of sorts. It is a tag line that I have sometimes used, and it can be the central meaning, (if there can be one) to this post.

“The only one we have to impress doesn’t live here.”

The bottom line is that’s what matters most.

God is the only one who truly knows me, my intentions, my dreams and desires and He is the only one in a position to judge what I do and why I do it. He doesn’t berate me or belittle me for what I think and feel and He is the only one that I have to answer to when it is all said and done. And there is no excuse He will accept for why I didn’t do what He said. So with that thought in mind, everyone else can take a back seat. In fact mentally from this day forward that is where I am placing every one of the naysayers. I moved over and quit driving the car a long time ago, God has been the driver for some time now! But I still keep hearing from back seat drivers. So if that is what they want to be in my life, “Back Seat Drivers”, then that is where they can sit in my life. I don’t control where we go, how fast we go, or when we are going to get there. I can’t help all the dents and scraped paint that the car has from the times when I was driving it… and God didn’t see fit to give me a new car for Him to drive me around in when He took over, so this is what we’re stuck with… Quit complaining to me about it, I am perfectly content to ride around in what ever car God wants to drive, if you don’t like it take it up with Him. I wish that those who have to ride around in the car that is my life would read, understand, and take to heart what Paul said:

Philippians 4:11-12 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

He got it, I get it…. WHY CAN'T YOU?

I can’t tell you to get out of the car… to get off of this ride… (All though sometimes that is all I want to do) and life is hard enough with out having to listen to all the complaining and moaning and groaning about ‘how it used to be… “GET OVER IT”.

Charles Stanley continually says; “You do what God wants, and let Him worry about the consequences.” Well, that is exactly what I am going to do from this point forward… with as much of a respectful and loving heart as I can muster for those who do life with me.

He is the only thing that matters today, He is the only thing that will matter tomorrow, and He is the only one who is going to demand an answer to ‘WHY’ when I stand before Him one day… hopefully sooner than later.

He and what He wants is the only thing that matters to me anymore, I am tired of listening to the rest. I know that I have certain responsibilites that He entrusts to me regarding those He has given me. And as I said earlier, to the best of my ability and with all my heart I will do my best to fulfill my obligations as a Husband, Father and freind. The rest is up to Him and what He wants.

And that is what I choose to pursue.

Thanks for listening and Sorry for the rant!

I'm all better now!

LOL

Jim