I was talking to an old friend today about the building of/development of character. We weren’t speaking hypothetically or theoretically, but were addressing issues that I’m wrestling with in my life. Building character is usually used as a euphemism for going through hellishly challenging circumstances & keeping a good (meaning godly) attitude about the whole thing. Sounds like not so much fun.
It got me to thinking… It can mean going through difficult, undesirable, even adversarial situations & simply not reponding according to my natural inclinations. It can mean being faithful & consistent through a boring assignment; following through, even if no one would know that you didn’t. Not responding in anger or frustration (or raised voice) to the slight of a petty individual. Turning the other cheek when you’re maligned & your name is drug through the mud. Exercising humility & owning the wrongs you’ve done/things left undone even if others don’t follow suit & do the same. It’s not dependent on anyone else’s behavior so much as it is dependent on my submission to Christ, & following in His ways. Character is the result of a life relentlessly, faithfully, intentionally committed to Christ.
regularly I struggle with my character. Especially when I am home by myself with only my children to hold me accountable. According to them, as long as I don’t say terrible words like stupid and shut up I am golden! But when I regularly choose everything in my life over spending time with God or my responsibilities, I feel the guilt coming on. My character is decidedly lazy.
Good stuff here. I often struggle with pride in the area of being in the know or being 1-up on others. So, for me, not having to know everything, not being the know-it-all, and refraining from aruging until death, is character building.
Character building can be painful! For me, it is a long process with God cleaning out the areas of pride in my life. It is indeed what I do and how I handle situations when no one else is around. It is not giving in to the “fleshy” side of me when I want to–really, reeeeeaaaaaalllyy want to. Character building is a good thing.
Hmmm… If I behaved in the rest of my life the way I do in my car, when I’m driving, I’d be in BIIIIIIGGGG trouble. Then again, in some ways maybe I do. At work, I can’t seem to ignore the rude and hurtful things that some of my co-workers say to and about each other and I let those things ruin my day, when they really shouldn’t. It’s pretty much the same as when I’m driving. Who cares if somebody cut me off–I should be grateful that I remain safe and move on.
why is it so easy to be lazy anyway? hmmmm
more importantly, why is it taking you so long to blog again!