The Value in Hanging out with the Right people

I have found that when I hang around with and am in relationships with people who don’t treat me the best. Or around people who put me down a lot, or are very critical of me. Well, I tend to almost absorb it, as if this is the way things “should” be. As if the way another person thinks of me, treats me, talks to me or about me, is setting the standard for how I now treat myself. I have always prided myself on being such a “strong” person. But that’s exactly what I was being, a person.History and Etymology for person. Middle English, from Anglo-French persona actors mask, character in a play, person, probably from Etruscan phersu mask, from Greek prosopa, plural of prosopon face, mask. So I have had a “tough” or “strong” person most of my adult and teen life. It certainly wasn’t who I really am. So naturally when I take off that “mask” and am no longer that “person” , those closest to me are confused. Especially if that “persons” “mask” is all they have known or seen in that “person”. So I guess they would be startled at the creation behind the “person” or “mask”. This is very eye-opening and disturbing to me all at the same time. Is it too much for everyone around me?, For me to take my “mask” off, to be revealed to the world as Gods’ creation , what He, intended HIS creation to BE💜

Does it cause them to be aware of their own masks? Is that why others are so uncomfortable when you take your “mask” off, or take away your persona and reveal Gods’ creation. I am a creation of God, my risen Savior. Now adopted into God’s family. I have been since I was 7 years old, but sometimes I forget. Yep, I become a forgetful Israelite. Forgetting God’s grace, mercy, forgiveness and immense love for me. Forgetting God’s promises, faithfulness and continued protection and provision. Help me to remember Lord.I know Lord, that part of my remembering all of those things, is taking off the “mask” the “person” I have become in order to not see the hurts in front of me. Things I couldn’t change, circumstances that were beyond my control. My eyes needed to be covered under certain circumstances, but I need to trust that when necessary, You Lord, “will cover my eyes”. I don’t need to take matters into my own hands and put the “masks” on any longer. Because although it shields me from seeing the hurts and experiencing the full blow of them sometimes, it obstructs my view of You, Lord. You are all I want to see. I want to see others through Your eyes as well. I need to be around people who are good to me and treat me Right. Right by Your Perfect standards Lord, not by the evil selfish, world’s standards. When I am around people who are critical and mean to me, my negative talk gets fed. It grows and now has more ammunition available for the opposing forces to use. I am not helping or working for the opposing forces! I’m in God’s army!!!!

💜While it is important to enter the Mission Fields or Battlegrounds, it is equally important to retreat and be alone with God and replenish. God does this for us super naturally, through prayer, rest, quiet, Bible study, Bible reading and other healthy Christians feeding into you. God help me to be balanced in my life. To look to You for my nutriment, You have everything I need to live in this world. The negative talk has been chattering a lot, but not saying much of anything. Just making me feel like I’m in a state of unrest. HOLY SPIRIT I pray that You Comfort me and cast out any negative spirit’s lingering about. All I want is YOU LORD 💜. Amen.I Love you, LORD.