I feel led to write about or just evoke some thought to distinguish the differences between promises and blessings. I feel that sometimes people can get them confused and have misconceptions about what they should expect from people or just from life in general. I’ve learned that the more people humble themselves to realize that they don’t deserve all the blessings they have, the happier they will be. I feel that true happiness comes from the inside, and not from how other people treat you nor what they speak to you. And, not that positive energy from other people isn’t beneficial, it just shouldn’t have a leash around the joy which should be in your heart.
What do I expect out of myself? What do I expect out of my friends? Now those two questions are not that simple or easy to answer. A person’s expectations (what they expect out of a situation, or what they expect from a person) has some control over their attitude. For example, if someone that you feel should treat you with respect, spoke to you disrespectfully, then it is normal to feel the need to bring your feelings of discontent to the individual who disrespected you so to rectify the situation. But, if you were disrespected by someone whom you didn’t expect to treat you with respect, most likely you wouldn’t pursue or desire an apology from them, it would be normal to let their words of disrespect roll off like water off a duck’s back.
Now everyone knows at least one person who usually has a bad attitude about something. A person’s attitude, whether positive or negative, has influence over actions and the outcome of whatever situation they could be in. President Obama’s book “The Audacity of Hope” was a great illustration of someone who had a positive attitude and was courageous enough to hope for something when it was illogical to hope for it.. and I feel that any hope that is blind, should be defined as faith rather than hope. Nevertheless, being positive and having a positive attitude towards life has so many benefits, from physical health to relationships and so on.
When someone promises you something, it’s different than if they just bless you with a gift. If someone promises me to call me on Sunday, then on Sunday I am expecting a call from that person, and if they don’t call… well, I would feel like I was lied to. I feel in life there are certain things everyone is promised, like the opportunity to live, breathe, interact with others.. just basically exist. Other than that… you’re kind of on your own :-). However, God does makes the decision to bless people; and some more than others, as it is obviously seen that Americans are more blessed as a nation than any other, and even in this blessed nation, their are those who are more blessed than others.
It is very hard to explain to someone who is selfish, bitter, and jealous, that a loving God has the authority to do whatever He wants to do, and whatever He wishes to do is the best for us no matter if people are unequally blessed. It is because of God’s promise to us that He loves us equally, and He is a perfect God, and if we call upon the name of Jesus we will be saved. The greatest gift anyone can receive is eternal life, and we do not receive salvation because of His blessings or because of holy living, it is because of God’s promise.
