I used to think it was easy to turn my back on people that upset me. Easy to walk away and just remove myself from their lives as I went about my own business. And while I can honestly say that this lesson has been in the works for quite some time it's only been in the last few months that I've woken up from this sleep that I've been in. Kind of a cold sweat moment in the middle of the night where you hear the voice that says "draw closer to Me and you will be able to forgive." It's impossible to walk away and throw our love for others aside when we are right with God. So I told Him my dilemma and asked Him to help me let it go. I asked Him to draw me closer. And He did. It's been perfect timing that I continue to work my way through #whatloveis with Kelly Minter and can glean much needed words to reassure this wake up call. I have a huge takeaway that explains this realization for me. "If we're bitter toward someone, unforgiving, angry, constantly in a bad mood, biting people's heads off, gossiping about others, irritated at them, we need to look at what is broken in our relationship with God, because loving God and loving others are inextricably connected. God's love for us grants us the capacity to love others. We love because He first loved us." I'm still working to draw near, to relinquish that frustration and to make certain that I don't discard those people in my life. Because I can't truly love Him and turn my back and walk away. It goes against the design. So "dwell on the God that loved you first." Everything else will fall into place... #thissideofgrace #loveis #forgiveness #drawclosertohim #gamechanger