As Christians we are encouraged to become more like Jesus, but how is that possible in a world where hearts have grown cold and mutual honesty, integrity and respect is almost nonexistent?

In his book, Just Like Jesus, Max Lucado offers us numerous examples. I own this treasure trove of encouragement and have read it numerous times, but I must say, loving as Jesus loved/loves and living as He lived, is not easy!

Sometimes it seems as though Life sets out to prove just how difficult a task this is. Not wanting to get into particular situations here, let’s suffice by saying I have never considered myself capable of emotions strong enough to actually hurt—I mean physically—hurt someone. But I have. I’ve experienced anger, so deep, so raw it nearly rendered me incapable of feeling basic kindness much less compassion.

I’m not proud of it and am certainly not advocating acting on those feelings! But there have been a few times in my life I can honestly say I’ve experienced something so fierce, so strong… so dangerous that it actually scared me.

I’ve seen social media posts that say when asked WWJD remember that turning over tables and taking a whip to someone is not out of the realm of possibilities.

Yeah, there are times when I’d like to do that.

Or worse.

Without a qualm.

Hard to believe, right? Especially for those who know me personally.

Hard for me to believe too.

Thankfully, I haven’t felt such intense rage like this often or in a long time.

So how can we be more like Jesus when we have such undesirable emotions?

Scripture gives us the answer… “But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” Matthew 5:44 and Romans 12:14: “Bless those who persecute you [who are cruel in their attitude toward you]; bless and do not curse them.”

So that’s what I did and continue to do: Pray and trust that God has the entire situation under control and will show Himself strong on my behalf, help me see the people/circumstances in a different light, or change my heart completely. I’ve prayed, “Lord, I’m willing to forgive and I surrender this situation and these emotions to you, but only YOU can make the forgiveness true in my heart.”

Three other prayers have proven beneficial when faced with something like this…

• Ho'oponopono, the ancient Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness, meaning "to make things right." I’ve studied and practiced this prayer and am a Certified Ho'oponopono Practitioner. With this prayer you take full responsibility for your emotions by apologizing to and asking forgiveness from the perpetrator(s), saying “thank you,” and ending with, “I love you.”

 
Which isn’t easy when our ego mind screams, “yeah, but…!!!” One thing that helped me was to add, “I forgive you and I release you to God,” at the end of my prayer. Another was to write the prayer in full using the person/people’s names. In her book, The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity, Edwene Gaines suggests writing your forgiveness statement 35 x twice a day for 7 days (70 x 7). I have this book and will discuss it at a later time. I want to re-read it first. 😊

Surrogate Tapping for those involved helped too.

• The prayer of St. Francis of Assisi and the Amni Christi are wonderful too because both help you focus on emulating Christ.

 
Have these things made me more like Jesus?

Maybe, a little, but I know there’s always room for me to learn, to heal, and to grow.

Something to think about...
PamT
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“Inspirational with an Edge!” ™
"Coaching in Pj's" ™

​I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts so leave a comment!

Hello Again, Friend,
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I never considered having a guest post on this blog but when I received Jamie Saloff's newsletter, I was so inspired I just had to share it... I think you will be too!

Enjoy...
PamT
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During a recent call with my BFF she mentioned the increased negativity she had been experiencing all around her. She asked, "Have you noticed how whether phone associates or checkout clerks, everywhere you go, people just seem to be carrying an underlying anger and disgruntled attitude?" Although I had sensed this overall feeling that seemed to have blanketed the nation, I stated that I had actually been pleasantly surprised by how friendly and helpful everyone had been, despite this invisible chaos.
 
I think this opposing experience surprised her, though we agreed on one point, that she felt this had to do with an energetic of negativity surrounding us all.
 
"Oh, like the Ghostbusters goo?" I asked. (She was unfamiliar with this movie, so I explained.)
 
In Ghostbusters II, the guys discover a river of goo flowing under the city which they determine is reacting to the "New York State of Mind" (which is generally negative) and which is creating the paranormal and chaotic events in the city. They do tests on the goo showing how it not only reacts to negative feedback but also positive reinforcement. In order to "save the day" as it were, they decide they need some positive symbol to uplift the New Yorkers' attitude on this ominous New Year's Eve. So they spray the Statue of Liberty with the goo. The goo, in combination with upbeat music, frees the statue to walk the streets and has the New Yorkers cheering and laughing. Of course, this is just what the Ghostbusters needed to shift the energy their way.
 
"You should write about this in your newsletter," my friend said. "Naw, what do I know about positive energy?" I told her. But after we talked, I realized I couldn't get it out of my mind, and a list of ways to uplift your energy and create a more positive atmosphere began to form in my mind, as follows.
 
1. I had just finished reading Kyle Grey's book Angels Are With You Now (which I really enjoyed). In it, he writes that he must first raise his own vibration before he can help others raise theirs. He offers many insights in his book on how to connect with angels and a meditative prayer that includes surrounding yourself with golden light. He then also makes an effort to connect with those around him in a positive way by smiling, saying "hello," and by being generally friendly. Meditation is not always my best course of action, but if it is yours, try Kyle's golden light.
 
2. After I met my husband-to-be, Tim's father, Bill, helped me greatly with learning about spiritual gifts and practices. One of the things he seemed to drill into us all the time was something he called "mouth confession." He would catch us saying negative things and warn us that the more we said them, the more likely they would come true. And of course, if we spoke of positive things, the same was true. So are you constantly speaking negatively about yourself, your family, your community, and more? Start looking for the positives and you will begin to turn things around for yourself and for those around you. And no, it isn't instant, and yes, you have to keep at it. It's always a work in progress.
 
3. One day while at a stop light, I looked over and saw a black man walking down the sidewalk. He didn't just walk, he had a rhythm to his walk that seemed almost as if he might be listening to music. I tried to walk that way a time or two. You can't be unhappy and walk with a jive in your step. In the same respect, we live on a lake near a playground. I often see parents and their children walking there. It seems the parents always walk slower and chat with their counterparts while the younger children skip, run ahead, then back, twirl around, laugh, and talk excitedly about where they are heading. You have to have a high energetic to be like those little kids. Try it sometime.
 
4. I used to love wearing ankle boots. They made me feel empowered. When I cleared my closet some years ago, I only kept clothes that I loved and that made me feel good about myself. What you wear, including the colors, textures, and fabrics they are made of, helps to raise your vibration. If your clothes make you feel good, the rest of you will feel better as well. When I received chemotherapy and could barely walk up the stairs due to feeling so weak, I would make that climb simply so I could put on my makeup. It took me two to three times longer than normal to do so, but being able to see myself in the mirror looking better than a washed-out ghost, encouraged me. Even how we stand (shoulders back or slumped, head held high) helps raise our energetic presence.
 
5. Chatting with a friend once, I said how I sometimes wished my life was a musical so I could dance in the aisles of stores. She said, why don't you? Well, I am probably not going to do that—though I know some people might. I have some favorite musical YouTube videos I love to watch that make me smile. This is my favorite.
 
6. The other day while grocery shopping, I had stopped in the main aisle waiting for the side row to clear. Suddenly a little girl about three or four years old came down the aisle from the opposite direction. Her face beamed with the largest smile and her whole countenance appeared lit up. She and I met eyes, and I felt as if her beam of light touched me. I began to smile as well. When you smile, do you light up a room like that little girl? If not, keep at it.
 
7. Lastly, I want to leave you with the thoughts from Michael Jackson's song, "Man in the Mirror." Since it's not likely we can really spray the Statue of Liberty with happy goo, Michael Jackson sings: "If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change." We can't always change others and it can be overwhelming when we look around and see all the things that need fixing in our world. But if we start with ourselves and do what we can to uplift our own countenance and energetic, we will, like that little girl at the grocery store, shine our light on others and make the world a better place.
 
Whether via a golden light, happy music, a strut in your step, or by offering a smile and kindness to those who you encounter, we can uplift our energy and the more we do so, the happier we all will be.
 
                                                              ~ * ~     ~*~     ~*~
 
Jamie Linn Saloff is a Lily Dale trained intuitive. Author, teacher, story weaver, spiritual counselor, seer of visions, pathfinder, for over thirty years Jamie’s taught how to reignite your heart by listening to your body groan and your soul weep. She is the author of twelve books including her Marvelous Messages™ series. To book your private session, visit her on the web at https://www.MarvelousMessages.com.