God's project is you, not them

​One indicator of my spiritual growth over the last several years is the question I ask myself in the middle of a conflict. I used to ask God, what is it you want me to do in this moment to help that OTHER PERSON see the light. Oh, how I would foolishly pray - help me respond here God in a way that helps that OTHER PERSON see things more like you.

(Because of course, God, I am an expert on how you see things...🙄).

Today, not perfectly - but I'm working at it, I ask God in those moments, what are you trying to teach me here God?

Today, I realize more than ever, God is using me mostly to change ME, not anyone else. In every moment - peace and conflict - God is teaching me how to better love everyone, because when I get better at loving everyone, God's desire to change every one catches fire.

There are a lot of conflicts going on out there right now. You don't have to step too far into them to literally feel the pressure folks are putting on one another to change. Change their minds. Change their hearts. Change the way they do a lot of things.

It's not so much the pressure itself that's discouraging. It's the way it's sometimes applied. We can get so passionate about the change we want to see outside of us that the person inside of us can turn ugly and mean and hurtful.

We can get so passionate about the change outside of us that we overlook the possibility that the greatest change might come when we consider the changes we can make inside ourselves.

I've come to believe that God has the power with a snap of a finger or the pointing of a staff to end these 'things' that draw us into conflict. So why doesn't he?

I think it's because God's project isn't those things. God's project is me.

I think God knows it's when things don't go MY way I am best positioned to consider a little more closely HIS way. I think God knows when I get frustrated by the things in life, I'll eventually start considering what God's trying to do with the ME in this life.

Things always get slippery when I start wondering what God wants me to do to change that person over there.

But things can never go wrong when I start wondering what God is trying to do to change me.

What are you up to with your project today, God? I'm ready to change.