#6 Don't lose sleep over what never was
Over the course of this past year, I've had to learn some "people" lessons that I wish I didn't have to learn. I used to be very self-conscious of what people thought about me. I would often lose sleep over a situation if I felt someone may be upset with me. On one hand, I should be cautious of how people perceive me; after all, I am an image-bearer of Jesus Christ. Then, on the other hand, I can't let my desire to be liked to become my passion. The source of my true contentment really must begin and end with Jesus Christ and my relationship with Him.
With those things in mind, here's a list of "people" lessons that I learned this year. These lessons will hopefully spare you some disappointment in the big picture. There's something in each of us that is drawn to trusting and desiring relationship/friendship with others. However, I'm just trying to be honest enough to say that we can't put all of our eggs in the "people-basket" because people aren't perfect. I hope this will encourage you to strive to build relationships with other people, but in the end, I want to point you towards Jesus Christ, who is the perfect example of commitment.
-Many people have great intentions and even pure motives, but they often struggle to follow through. Be careful about assuming someone is going to do something before they actually do it.
-People will come into your life at different times and for different reasons. Some of these people will come and go, while others will stay for a long time. Some will serve a clear purpose in your life, while others will leave you scratching your head. Nevertheless, when their time with you has ended, you have to be willing to let them go.
-You can't allow yourself to feel responsible for how someone else mishandled a situation. As long as you know you walked with integrity, respect, and in a way that pleased Jesus Christ, then you have to simply be okay with that.
-Unless they are causing you to sin and disrespect God, always follow those who are in authority over you. First, this is biblical. Second, by doing this, you are remaining obedient before God even if they happen to be disobedient or off-track in the big picture. The way you respond to your authorities says a lot about who you are as a person and is a reflection of how well you submit to God as your ultimate authority.
-Don't count on someone's support until they show it to you. Yes, their words may sound great, and you may be confident they will be there for you, but there's a difference between pledging support and actually giving support.
-This one hurts from two perspectives...You'll know how much people truly care by how intentional they are about staying in contact with you. At the same time, people will know how much you care about them by how intentional you are about staying in contact with them, but keep in mind, this point is really more about the consistency of contact, which may only be monthly or a few times a year, rather than quantity of contacts.
-By doing what God calls you to do (and you better be sure it's what GOD is calling you to do), you'll naturally attract those people who feel they have the right to judge what you are doing and try to question your motives. Just because you pursue a biblical, God calling upon your life doesn't mean those who claim to follow that same Bible and God will be supportive. In the end, be sure of your call and respond with obedience because one day you'll stand accountable to God, not your critics.
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