I have always seemed to have a hard time establishing and maintaining friendships in my life.
Now don’t get me wrong….I have always thought I had a kind and caring heart and I would do anything for the people I loved.
However…..I have had a hard time finding people who feel the same towards me.
I always that I was the problem…that something was wrong with me and I had to change myself to please others.
The problem with this mindset is that you can’t please others and please God.
It ain’t happenin… trust me I found out the hard way.
I tried to fight evil with evil….
Fight wrongs with doing wrong…..
I became bitter to try to block out their bitterness..
None of these methods were of God’s Word.
These methods left me broken, lost, and angry.
I finally gave up and told God I was ready to do things HIS way.
The Bible tells us exactly how to deal with difficult people.
1. Love them
“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:8
While hate destroys, love heals anything and everything.
2.Give
Giving to someone who you dislike?
Sounds crazy right?
Giving does more for you than it does for others.
The act of giving itself grows us and draws us closer to Christ.
3. Speak well about them
Normally the first thing we do when someone mistreats us is talk bad about them and spill our problems onto any ears that will listen.
Or on the other hand, our friends tell us something that someone did to them and we join in on the bashing and shaming.
Speaking bad about others only reveals the meanness inside of you
Yeah, I know what you’re thinking.
It totally feels better to pour your heart out on why you dislike the person that has wronged you.
But, speaking positively about your “enemies” does not better them… it betters you.
4. Pray for them
Pray that God heals the hurt and pain inside of them that is causing them to inflict pain on you.
Choosing to pray for those who mistreat us shocks most …but this is what we are called by God to do.
Although what they are doing is wrong, they are people in need of relationship with Jesus.
5. Do good
The bible says “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Luke 6:31
We’ve all heard this for most of our lives
It started off as our parents telling us as children to treat others the way we wanted to be treated when the teacher told them that we weren’t sharing our crayons with our classmates
This is a foundational life principle.
But sometimes it can be easier said than done and can get overlooked.
Especially when someone mistreats us.
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” Luke 6:27-31
Thankyou for sharing and reminding this to us, God’s word will always be the beautiful thing to comfort us in the darkness.