Loving difficult people
Today, my devotional is the featured blog on my friend and fellow Christian author Alexis Goring's Devotionals for the Heart "God is Love" blog.
By Jessica Brodie
They’re everywhere, aren’t they? That critical coworker always on your case. That backstabbing neighbor who pretends to be your friend yet gossips behind your back. That passive-aggressive family member or drama-hungry colleague always stirring up emotional chaos. Even your sweet child or spouse, who also happens to know exactly how to push all your buttons and drive you bonkers.
Whatever label you attach—rude, mean, judgmental, antagonistic, snide, or just plain annoying—“difficult” people aren’t always easy to love. Maybe they’ve always been difficult, but you’re forced to interact with them because you are closely connected, such as a relative. Or maybe they’re normally just fine, but they’re going through a rough patch, such as a breakup, death, mental health crisis, or job loss, and not dealing with it well.
CHECK OUT MY RELATED YOUTUBE VIDEO ON getting along with “difficult people,” HERE! AND I HOPE YOU'LL ALSO SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
These are the folks whose phone calls send that “oh, no” dread into the pit of your stomach, who you’re tempted to find out have RSVP’d before you accept that party invitation, who you avoid when you see coming so you don’t have to interact with them in the hallway. Sometimes, they have the ability to turn your sunshiny day into a gloom of despair. Sometimes, it’s a nonstop fight.
Over the years, I’ve known a lot of difficult people. Truth be told, sometimes I’ve been that “difficult person,” myself. I’ve had dark phases where I was filled with insecurity, envy, ambition, greed, fury, and wildly unrealistic expectations. I didn’t even like my own company very much, and I imagine others didn’t either.
As a Christian, how do we deal with “difficult people”? Jesus commands us to “love thy neighbor” (Matthew 22:36-40), but does that mean we have to like them, too?
READ THE REST OF THE BLOG HERE!
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