Emotional Math - For Those Not As Happy About the Love Holiday

Ok. This is gonna be a tough one to write, and maybe tough to read, but we will get through it together.

I am a math student, a technical mind. My wife will tell you that, in a minute. If life were as simple as plugging numbers into a formula, I would be aceing the course, but it is not quite that simple. Life is emotional math -- we add, and we take away. We add by sharing kind words, praying, reading, fellowshiping...But, as life always has another side, we take away. We take away by not sharing kind words (or worse sharing unkind words), not praying...you get the point. Simple math, right? If the good just outweighed the bad, things would be fine. Unfortunately, it is too often the other way around.

In our hast, insufficient effort, and sometimes just being unaware, we are subtracting from those around us. And yeah, I hear you saying, people are doing that to me too. Be patient with them. They are human. So what do we do?

When we get low, we want to be able to pull strength from those close to us. Unfortunately, since they are human, they cannot always supply. Often, they are dealing with something bigger than themselves already. When King David had come back from a big battle, he found his home destroyed. The enemy had come in, taken his stuff, his wives, kids, killed people. I am sure David wanted to say, "God, I thought I was doing what I was supposed to do. How could you let this happen." But, the bible says that he encouraged himself in the Lord. In other words, he had to dig deep and draw on strength that he had within. He want on to pursue the enemy and get his stuff back. We also tend to overlook the ministrering angels God has placed around us. I believe God puts people close to us, to minister to some of our needs.

Someone sent me a song by Hope's Call named "You Are Loved"

You are loved beyond your failures,
You are loved beyond your past.
The scars of your forgiveness,
Are engraved upon the Lord.
You are loved.

These are just some of the words. I have been listening to it over and over and over. Having trouble forgiving yourself? Have trouble "getting" forgiveness from someone you hurt? Know today that you are loved (by Him and me) and that you are already forgiven.

As I am taking time to "add" to you today, take some time to "add" to every person you cross today...the McDonald's drive thru person (the lady in the drive through "added" to me this morning), the person at the gas pump with you..most of all the people right next to you. I am stepping out on a limb, but I bet they are feeling "in the negative." If we all do that, we will change at least our small world..."each one reach one".

You are loved.