So what do I mean here? Just from personal experience when I was living life my way, the results just weren’t pretty. So when i say try to live like him it’s more trying to emulate who he was. Even though it’s impossible for us to be just like him, what we can focus on is giving more grace to others and being merciful to others, something he is the king at. Grace instead of resentment. Not easy and takes a lot of practice, but it will start to have a profound change in your life.
Peace – Life where you can accept things for how they are. We don’t always like what happens in our life and we are all different from what makes us frustrated. But for things outside of our control if we can accept them, and follow Jesus’ example we will find peace. I need to do this more often. Its worked at moments in my life, yet consistently accepting gods will is challenging! When you practice it, peace will find you.
Intimacy -I had no idea this is what I was really searching for my entire life. I sought lust and thought that it was love. Being married now, knowing that God loves me, having support members. I finally have intimacy in my life. It’s not just physical. Emotional Intimacy is what has really helped changed my life around. There is something to be said when you go from love being conditional to knowing that you are loved by God, the spouse, and others.
Selflessness– As an addict doing things for others can be really hard. I was so programmed to just focus on me and my needs, even though I didn’t like who I was. But once you step outside of the addiction and can finally receive love in your heart, you can finally give in a way that you have never been able to before. You don’t always need to win every deal. You don’t need the upperhand. One of the most selfless things someone can do is to die for you. I hope that I never have to do that, but it just shows the example of Jesus.
Whether you believe in him or not, try living your life following his example. You’ll be amazed at the peace that you will find in your life. I can tell you from personal experience when I follow his lead, I can find that peace and joy in my life. And when I do things my way, well my life is full of worry, stress, and it’s a lot more complicated.
If he is who he says he is, then maybe I should listen.
I think this step will take much longer for some of us to experience and then it’s a lifelong journey of trying to live your life this way. Even if you do not believe him, learn about him. See how different he was from anyone in life. The message of Love, which is what many addicts who are struggling have missed out on in their entire life. He loves us. It’s hard to understand that, especially when it’s been absent our entire lives.
We can learn a lot from Jesus. He is the way. Seeing it firsthand shows how much better my life is when I listen to him, as his way is so much better than mine. I still have so much to learn about him, as I only know a little. But just try living a life free of resentment, anger, control, and watch firsthand the peace that will flow through you. Whether you believe in him or not, try to live the way he says to do so and then watch the results.
Following him looks like this: things that do not come naturally to me. Loving others, Forgiving, Kindness, Meekness, humility. Maybe the Pharisees would have liked Jesus better if he was cocky and, in their face, instead of humble.
My relationship with Jesus is constantly growing. I have realized that his ways are better than my ways. (Even though I forget that at times). I admire him, I thank him, and what he did for me, words cannot describe. I don’t deserve it, yet he still loved me enough to sacrifice his life for me, so I could be saved. He shows me that those difficult moments are being used for Gods purpose. He has shown me a new way to live and now 24 hours at a time, I have a second chance at life.
I do want to reiterate that even if you don’t know anything or believe him, learn more about his ways. How he treated others, the path that he walked. You’ll find that it is drastically different than the way our world values anything. Hopefully you will also find two things that have been elusive at least for me in my entire life. Peace and Intimacy.
Quite a lot to digest here. Its good to reflect on this when you are trying to heal and recover. God Bless.