Seeing it right

In some scripture and a book I've been reading about John the Baptist has been really tugging at my heart. I'm so impressed how John really saw Jesus and I don't mean as in just seeing him in person. John saw the Savior with nothing blocking his view. He learned from him, trusted him and I'm sure John was amazed at the miracles he saw and astonished at what the people would say, yet he still continued to follow Jesus like there was nothing else in the world. 

I hope this comes across just right. You know how we look at people with love and compassion and still at times our minds will wonder off, I don't think Johns did, he was focused on Jesus and who He was, that's what mattered. What I'm saying is to follow Jesus we need to have eyes like Him, to see the best and want the best for others. A heart and eyes like Jesus. John was learning this in his early life. 

I know in all my humanness, if that's a word, I fail at this often, I see certain people and I want to run away, ignor or pretend they are not there. Trying to pray for those I love is easy but for those I don't love or who I really don't like , we'll this is a hard lesson for me. This is where the heart of God comes in. The people that we seem to not pray for are actually the ones we really need to pray for and really it's just as much for us as them. 

This is where part of my problem starts, forgiving. We know forgiveness is not just for the other person it's for us so we an move on to and not be hindered when we see these people. I'm here to tell you, I've had a hard time even thinking about forgiving, but I want my heart clean. ( mat. 6:15) ( mat. 5:44).

I know from experience that praying for someone or a situation can help you not to hate. We may not like what someone does but we are to pray for their soul. To do this with a heart that means it, we'll I have to practice this everyday. 

My example, most my life I had a love / hate, mostly hate relationship with my mother. I tried very hard to understand her even like her. I could not look at her with love, I'm sure down deep there was love but the more I tried to find it, it was just shoved further down. I had to overcome this, let things go because it was making me wish things that were not of God. Try caring for someone when your own attitude about it was ugly. Well after my dad died I become her full care giver then she got hurt and now I have a third child to care for as I call it. Before someone critizes, she may have given me birth but was never a mom. Anyway, I had to really pray, really had to rely on God for strength. It didn't matter who she was, it was who I needed to be for her. How could I care for someone I didn't want to care for? Well God. Funny thing, I have more to do for her now and guess what, I can say I love her, I care about what happens to her. 

Truth be told if not for God I would have no patience or much love for her. Now I've let go of past things and choose to do what I can. For less then 10 years now I can say, I want to be around my mother. I still struggle at times and wonder why, but now I have a heart for my mom. I still pray everyday for strength and continue to ask God to help me forgive because I want to see my mom with love not dislike or as a problem. I have to see her as God sees her. Love covers a multitude and I'm still learning this and how to do it right. 

Luke 6:28 pray for those that curse you, pray for those that abuse you. Came to mind as I was writing. Mine letting go didn't happen over night, God lead me at my pace and helps me know in my little mind I'm doing it right but I still need work :)