Are you struggling with your burdens, trials, storms and
temptations? How are you doing? Do they just keep coming like a “mighty river?”
Yes they do and they will keep right on coming. What great news you bring you
might be saying, probably not in such nice terms. Am I right? Well, like you I
too have storms and constant trials and temptations in my life. Currently there
seem to be difficult people. I did ask God for help with difficult or
unreasonable people. You know that God obliged me by turning out more of them.
His response is to have me learn to deal with them, because it is usually not
about me. So are there any helps on this
common issue? Perhaps the Top-10 or 11.
1.
Keep Your
Cool: Don’t join the fray or be offended or defensive. A key fruit of the
Spirit is “self-control.” This requires seeking the Lord and keeping your mind
and heart centered on Him. By the way, this is always the best bet. Don’t try
this on you own.
2.
Fly Away
Like a Bird: David the psalmist
wanted to do that. “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from
your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in
the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far
side of the sea even there your hand shall lead me and your right hand shall
hold me” (Psalm
139:7-11). It isn’t running away, it is just to deescalate or not engage
difficult people unless the stakes are high. Seek the Lord and His strength and
peace.
3.
Don’t
React But Be Proactive: Recognize how unreasonable or problematic some are.
They will be negative, so be positive. Remember it’s not about you, even though
it feels like it sometimes.
4. Pick You Battles: Save you energy and grief for worthy projects.
You have power, use it wisely.
5. Separate The Person From the Issue: Stay on the problem to be
solved; the person is a distraction.
6. Put Spotlight on Them: By this I mean ask them questions,
involve them, make them come up with positive solutions when they just can’t
get out of the dark.
7.Change From Following to Leading:
Don’t just sit there and stew, take action! Take positive action. Light always
overcomes the darkness.
8.
Use
Appropriate Humor: Find the humorous in the ordinary, this is a gift and a
reorienting tool or strategy.
9.
Set
Consequences: This may be difficult as it means addressing behavior directly.
But keep it on the project or objective.
10.Confront “bullies” (Safely):
Yes they are insecure and are often cowards needing to obstruct for control.
Control freaks are insecure bullies.
11. The Battle is The Lord’s: In all of the Top-10 there is one
solution to strengthen and guide you. The battle is not yours it is the Lord’s.
“This
is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this
vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s” (2Chronicles 20:15).
This was God’s answer as King Hezekiah sought Him before he went out to meet
the Moabites and Ammonites, enemies of God’s people. And of course all of you
know the story of David and Goliath. David, even though his own brothers were
chiding and harassing him, kept his eyes
clearly on the Lord. “’The Lord who delivered me from the paw of
the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine’” (1 Samuel
17:37). He disregarded Saul’s armor as it didn’t fit him. He disregarded the
taunts saying, “But I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of
the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will hand you
over to me, and I’ll strike you down...All those gathered here will know that
it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s
and He will give all of you over into our hands” (1 Samuel 17:47). Do you get it God is fighting for you. As
Paul wrote in Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” You are not alone and without power or
resource, but instead have the limitless armies and warehouses of God to supply
you. He is your strength. Find Scriptures to remind you and uphold you in times
of trial and temptation. I love to go to the Psalms. “The Lord is my light and my
salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom
shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1).