Journey of a Thousand Miles

by Joel Osteen Most criticism is based out of jealousy and a competitive spirit. The more successful you are, the more criticism you encounter. Not everyone will celebrate your successes with you. Our successes draw out their jealousy. This isn't about you; it's on the inside of them. Until they deal with it, it will keep them from rising higher. God sends us tests to see if we can be happy for others' successes. Learn to celebrate others' victories. If God did it for them, God can do it for you. There are going to be people who try to bring us down with their words. Don't seek revenge or stoop to their level. Shake them off. You never win by sinking to their level. Rise above them! Don't let their jealous spirit bring you down. Don't live to please everyone. It's impossible to please everyone. Some people will always find fault no matter what you do.  Love those negative people from a distance! Accept that not everybody is going to like...

I think the hardest thing for a single in their late twenties is to not envy those in strong relationships with people they love. Any time I see another engagement on Facebook, it is another reminder of God's delayed promises. Recently, my cousin became engaged (who is younger than I), and my first reaction was envy and a little bit of anger towards God for not providing the same way He has provided for others. After checking my heart, I realized this was not loving towards my cousin, and there is no reason to feel this way because I am not lacking- God has provided sufficiently for my life, and I need to recognize His blessings. These things will not end after attaining a spouse. There will always be something to covet- somebody's house, their children, their income, etc., so it's best to check this heart matter at the door and leave it there. Plus, people are aware when others are not happy for their successes, and it greatly impacts a relationship when one feels they are...

There's nothing better than focusing on the positive qualities of others. I loved this little exercise because it reminded me of why I love my friends around me and what originally drew me towards them in the first place. It's easy to start focusing on the negative things when you've been hurt several times, but after awhile, you start to forget who they really are, and it can only lead to devaluation and hate. This exercise allowed me to see that even the people I resent still have good qualities about them, and they are only human after all. Knowing that I have failed and am in dire need of redemption, it allowed me to make room for grace and let others be human. We could all use a little more grace. "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." Romans 3:23 If any of you have been following along, what have you learned so far and how has The Love Dare changed your relationships? I know it has already changed my perspective on how I relate to other...