As you would expect, the Naval Academy environment was competitive. I don’t think I really understood or appreciated how to have friends and deep relationships with people different from me without feeling the need to compare and compete. Gary was surely my training ground.
When I made the promise to have and to hold when it came the “for worse” part I wasn’t thinking about “how worse” I could be, I was only thinking about how worse he might be. Eventually it dawned on me that I was my own worst problem not Gary.
As we grew to understand each other the worse often fell into what we faced together. The sad part is that sometimes we turned on each other rather than the difficulty and had to learn to quickly forgive, quickly correct ourselves, quickly turn to Jesus.
I have poured through many of Amy Carmichael’s books. One that I return to over and over is a very small but powerful book, If.
Here are some favorite quotes from that book I ponder when it comes to facing the worse.
“If I cast up a confessed, repented, and forsaken sin against another, and allow my remembrance of that sin to colour my thinking and feed my suspicions, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I do not give a friend “The benefit of the doubt,” but put the worst construction instead of the best on what is said or done, then I know nothing of Calvary love.
If I take offence easily; if I am content to continue in cold unfriendliness, though friendship be possible, then I know nothing of Calvary love.”
May we each know Calvary’s love not only for others but also for ourselves. This is the only power to face the worst.
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.