Christians
Over time - reading blogs I've found that there is a certain irritation Christians have with other Christians. That ranges from thinking some mistakenly paint Christianity as always joyful - to those who are obnoxiously critical of other believers that don't "tow the line".

That first one puzzled me. I don't know who they are hanging around (or near enough) to get this impression but the only one's I have heard that might fit that category are people that have Learned to be content - maybe even joyful in suffering - because they - at some point - gave up and took their Lord's hand after realizing that they couldn't do it on their own!

I'm thinking of a young missionary wife from Italy I heard telling about a physical ailment she had that made her life unbearable. The pain she endured kept her awake at night and gradually she began to use that time praying. As time passed she got better and she said she remembered the first night she got a full night's sleep. When she woke up she said she felt disappointed that she missed that night of communing with the Lord. She grew closer to her God during that tough time!

We can have that but most of us (me included) try it our way first....grinding our teeth, bathing in self pity - kicking against the pricks! We really are pretty hard headed! Aren't we? Every time we have something hard to face we know we should trust God but our reaction is usually
"Ya but-"
"I know but.."
Do you suppose it's because when we can't "handle it" we get irritated with those that can because we don't see that it's only because they aren't "handling it" - they've given it over to God and are allowing Him to carry them through the rough stuff?

I know pain. I REALLY know pain. I'm not talking physical (I've thought that I'd trade that pain for physical pain ANY day) I'm talking about things I could do nothing about. It's crippling. It affects everything you do and everyone around you. I know what it is like to feel like a walking zombie. It zaps your strength. This thing was hard to hand over to God. I did send out LOTS of calls for help (petitions to God) but it took a long time for the Trust to kick in.

I'm not particularly brave. I hate pain. I shiver at stuff that may be ahead. For one thing I'm the youngest of 5. If we go "in order" I'm in trouble. I may not see them often but I love my siblings. Then, I worry about my own family (husband and "kids"). After we learned that our daughter's cancer returned I learned raw pain. After all kinds of other prayers, begging, and barginning I even prayed "Take me home - I'm just no good at this!"
But I know He is in charge. Now I feel that if He has more for me to do - I want to be here. You can LEARN trust...you may learn it the hard way but you can learn it.

Now I'm thinking of the 2ND thing I mentioned - Critical Christians.
Some things are petty but that's not the problem. Someone once said that if you allow someone whose actions toward you - irritate you - you have become their slave.
Yep! So the problem isn't theirs - it's ours! We can't control others but we CAN do something about ourselves. None of us want to be any one's slave, right? We can learn from criticism but that thorn in the side doesn't have to stay there! Pull it out and breathe.