So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.
 
1 Peter 5:6
 
We should never put on airs or be proud of vain, we aren’t better then anyone else…we’re all created equal in God’s eyes. Don’t compare yourself to other’s either or try to pretend you are someone that you aren’t – maybe you are on the opposite end of this problem and you constantly compare yourself to others and feel like you aren’t as good as they are – God created you special and loves you just the way you are – His hand is on you and He’ll promote you at the right time – just focus on Him and living for Him, remember you are in His hands and he IS most careful with you!

A person without self-control
   is like a house with its doors and windows knocked out.

Proverbs 25:28

Think about what would happen if a house had it’s doors and windows knocked out. It would open itself up to all kinds of bad things wondering in and out. Well, the same thing happens to us when we don’t have self-control. Even good things can turn bad when we don’t practice self-control. Too much chocolate or ice cream will make you sick…even too much exercise can be bad for you! Pretty much EVERYTHING can be bad for you if you don’t practice self-control. And if there’s an area you struggle with, try having an accountability partner, someone who holds you accountable on a regular basis about whatever it is that you struggling using self control in. There is power in accountability, and prayer!

First pay attention to me, and then relax.
   Now you can take it easy—you’re in good hands.

Proverbs 1:33 (The Message)

Whenever we take our eyes off of God and put it on on our problems, that’s when we start to stress or freak out.

But when we pay attention to God, when we keep our eyes on Him and give Him all of our problems and ask Him for His help and trust Him, that’s when we can take it easy and relax, we’re in good hands!!! God will help us solve each and every problem that we’re faced with. There is NOTHING too difficult for God, and nothing too difficult for us through God! So put all your attention on God, focus on Him, and take it easy!

“Even if it’s personal against you and repeated seven times through the day, and seven times he says, ‘I’m sorry, I won’t do it again,’ forgive him.”

Luke 17:3 (The Message)

Normally it’s fairly easy to forgive someone once. But what about someone who repeatedly offends us? That’s going to happen. Humans aren’t perfect, and we will be offended or hurt time and time again. And we will have to forgive, time and time again. And it’s not easy, that’s for sure…but we have to remember that God has forgiven us, even though we constantly mess up and don’t deserve His forgiveness, He has forgiven us anyways and loves us unconditionally, so we should try our best to love people in that same unconditional way and to forgive 7 x 7 and even more then that if need be. And if you struggle with that, ask the Lord to help you to forgive, and He will. You’re not in this alone!

God guards you from every evil,
      he guards your very life.
   He guards you when you leave and when you return,
      he guards you now, he guards you always.

Psalm 121:7-8 (The Message)

Have you ever looked at celebrities that have body guards and thought wow, how cool would it be to have your own personal body guard? Well, you do! And He’s the creator of heaven and earth – you couldn’t ask for a better body guard! I think it’s so amazing that He is so big and we’re so small and yet he loves and cares for us so much that He is with us wherever we go, looking after us like a shepherd watches over his sheep, day and night…God guards you. So the next time you feel afraid or alone, remember that you’re NEVER alone. God is ALWAYS there…guarding you.

^43-47“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.

Matthew 5:46 (The Message)

We all have people that we know are harder to get along with than other’s. Instead of fighting with them or simply avoiding them, we should LOVE them..show them God’s love by responding in kindness, in love, even when they treat us wrong. It isn’t easy for, sure…we have to pray and ask God to help us. And remember that God loves us even when we’re at our most unloveable…so we should try out best to love other’s even when they are most unloveable, too.

From now on you are not strangers and people who are not citizens. You are citizens together with those who belong to God. You belong in God’s family.
Ephesians 2:19 (New Life Version)

How amazing is it that God, creator of heaven and earth, loves us as his children? The KING OF KINGS, is your father! And all christians are your family, your brothers and sisters in Christ. So if you ever feel alone, remember that you are never alone, God is always with you and so are your brothers and sisters in Christ. If you don’t already have a church home, I encourage you to find one as soon as possible…where you can get plugged in and build strong friendships with fellow believers, your family in Christ! They can encourage you, hold you accountable and be there for you like family…for that’s what they are.

When I was really hurting, I prayed to the LORD. He answered my prayer, and took my worries away. Psalm 118:5 (CEV)
 
What is hurting you? What are you worried about? Whatever it is, give it to God. Pray about it, let Him take those burdens off of you, trust in Him knowing that you don’t have to face anything alone…God will always be there with you to help you along every day that you live here on the earth. So if you’re hurting right now, pray. Give the hurt to God. Whatever is bothering you, pray about it. Talk to God about it and ask Him to help you, to take your worry away and give you peace. He will. For He loves you more then you can even imagine.

“If you want joy in your life and have happy days, keep your tongue from saying bad things and your lips from talking bad about others.”

1 Peter 3:10 (New Life Version)

People are going to mess up. It’s part of being human. And sometimes, when we witness other’s mistakes, it’s easy to be tempted to want to talk to other’s about it. But we should hold our tongue, because if we say bad things about other’s it’s only going to cause trouble, not only for the person we’re talking about, but for us too. It’s not worth losing our joy and happiness just for a moments gratification of gossip. So the next time you’re tempted to gossip or say something bad about someone, remember that it’ll cause you to lose your joy. KEEP your joy, by holding your tongue!

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
Hebrews 10:24 (New Living Translation)

Motivating other’s is truly contagious. When you motivate someone, and they bless someone else, it’s like a never ending blessing cycle! Motivate someone today. Encourage them. Lift them up! Bless them with acts of love and good works and it will encourage them to do the same, and then that will motivate someone else and so on and so on. So get the blessing cycle going today – motivate someone by blessing them with an act of love or good works. You won’t regret it!