Lesson Number 3 (Grin and Bare It)

So I have always heard the expression "grin and bare it" but until recently I had never really used it in my life. There have been many uncomfortable positions where I would flee instead of having to deal with the situation at hand, and the truth is, I have no idea as to how the outcome would be if I were to have stayed or not. I look back on those times and realize that something bad may have happened, but something good may have also come out of it. I never got the chance to know. So tonight I decided to be a man and I forced myself to grin and bare through an uncomfortable situation. I guess I wouldn't have done this if it weren't for recent events where I was called out and criticized for being the way I am. I truly am thankful for my friend doing this because I would rather live an unhappy truth, than a happy lie. I came to find that I was not going to be living an unhappy truth though. The truth is, I was always one to play the victim and over-emphasize my emotions into everything I did. This made me look weak and allowed me to pass under the radar of others because they were so annoyed with me that they found it easy to overlook me. So after thinking about those truthful words of wisdom I came into a silent place and prayed this prayer, "Dear Heavenly Father, I come before you with good intentions and with hope that you can forgive me once again. I have allowed my feelings to get in the way of my relationships with those around me. I pray that You give me strength enough to connect with the people that are dearest to me so as to allow growth in any way possible. Father God I pray that you heal this broken heart and mature this child of Yours. Amen." Immediately after praying I returned to face the music so to speak and found that there was nothing to worry about. Nothing bad came out of the events of this night, which made it easier for me to recognize the positive. Instead of my usual bitterness I found a peace had overcome me in a way that I hadn't felt in quite some time. This is just a reminder of the power of prayer. Philippians 4:6