All I need in this life

Living a life for the Lord can be very challenging. It is the most rewarding choice I have ever made but it doesn't come without its difficulties. Others do not understand your decisions, don't understand the foundation of who you are, and criticize the path you take. It used to be very frustrating for me as I wanted to make everyone happy around me, whether that was my family, friends, or coworkers. Somewhere along the road since I made this decision I have been blessed and burned by those around me causing me to change my point of view. These valuable lessons caused me to get smarter about my approach to life. I know now that you can't expect the people around you to understand where your coming from, and you can't get mad at them for not understanding. I also learned that you do not owe anyone an explanation unless you choose to give it. I learned that you don't have to count on others to commend or encourage your choices, as that expectation can lead to intense disappointment. The kind of disappointment that can make you question yourself and the path God is trying to lead you on. I learned that the only one I should look to for guidance and approval for my decisions is God. He is the only one I should strive to make happy through the way I live my life. His word is my blueprint and my outline for navigating this lifetime in the right direction, and making it as full of love as possible.

If I listened to every friends advice here on earth it would not only conflict with one another, but it would most likely steer me in the wrong direction. Our time here is precious, and we are all flawed and make mistakes daily. So why put the fate of your valuable time into anyone's hands but God's?  Time is fleeting and we will be on our deathbed in the blink of an eye, so don't you want to get it right? Each day, each choice, and each decision? Your best shot at this is seeking God's guidance in every step you take. We are all clueless when it comes to the right way to live our lives, and whether a decision we will make will help or hurt us. We all have "what if's" and "I wish I would have's", so what makes you think looking to your equally clueless counterpart, no matter how close you are with them, will somehow give you the answers you've been searching for? If you want wisdom you must look to the heavens for the answers.

I've also learned that confidence is not an earthy gift. If you look to those around you to approve of your actions you will always find someone who disagrees. Everyone thinks differently and lives their lives differently, so why would their answer necessarily be right for you? These disagreements can cause you to question yourself and plants seeds of doubt in your heart. Both strangers and loved ones  will say hateful things, criticize you, and break your heart. So if you depend on others compliments, comments, or approval to be what gives you self worth then you will always battle with self-esteem issues. Your closest friend or family member will burn you and tear you down in your lifetime even if it's an accident. Things happen and the tears screaming of doubt and disappointment will stream down your face.

The only one who doesn't let you down is Jesus. So putting your self-worth in His hands will lead you to a place of peace and reassurance. You stop worrying how you look to the outside world, and how the ways of the world say you should act or behave. Instead, the foundation to your confidence is that God loved you so much that he sent His son to die for you on the cross. You don't get much more uplifting, humbling, and encouraging than that. That knowledge, once you choose to embrace it, makes you feel incredibly special and loved. If I was given that much love by my Lord and Savior, then I have no reason but to be confident. He sees something in me that is great and wonderful. This is a constant in the Bible, how much we are loved by the Lord. So why in the world would I be seeking approval from those around me? Why would I put my self-worth in their hands? I've already got the ultimate kind of love running through my veins which gives me all the confidence in the world. I can climb mountains, I can break through walls, I can do anything with the confidence that he instills in me. 

I choose to live my life how the heavens call me to do so, not how my neighbor tells me I should. I get my confidence, self-worth, and guidance from the one who made the oceans and the desserts. He made the waterfalls, the mountains, and he made me. This love is all I need to get through. It is all I need to be happy. He is all I need in this life.