If you have ever worked in an office with more than one person then you are susceptible to difficulty, possible division and a bit of drama. What does God have to say about difficult people?
Who can know the thoughts of people? Only God. Unless they have shared their life with us, He is the only one who knows what they have been through that brings them to a condition of meanness and contemptuous behavior. How best to handle eight or more hours of literally walking on egg shells to keep from waking that sleeping giant?
God knows about difficult people. Lucifer began immediately trying to usurp the management position and power of God Almighty. God finally threw him out! On through the centuries that followed He dealt with people who chose to do evil in the sight of the Lord. Though He gave them laws and the details of how to do good in his sight, they refused to obey. He dealt with their behavior in some very punishing and serious ways, trying to get them to change.
Fast forward to present day. Dealing with difficult people is not new. Our problem in our day is how to do the work we are hired to do and do it well, with the least drama possible.
Thought For Today:
There are several ways to handle this issue. Of course you can stop going to the place with behaviors that bring you down. Not an option? Prayer walk through your office before the day begins. Simply walk through asking God to bless all who enter, bring the best in people forward and keep the drama to a minimum. I have been known to prayer walk. It is fruitful, if not for the workplace it most certainly is for the one praying. You may still have difficult people but they will not affect you and what you must accomplish.
One thing I am certain of. If you have accepted Christ then you have some special tools that go with you everyday. Wherever you go, Jesus goes. The Holy Spirit assists you moment to moment. He hears your cries for help in dealing with difficult people, before you even think to call out to Him. So seek to be a light of Christ, smile a lot, speak kindly and respectfully, try to find something good in this person who causes division and meanness in your day. Pray for them. Finally, if none of this helps bring peace to your environment, then be assured God will either move you to a new level or He will enable you to move yourself. Amazing how God tends to what concerns us.
Scripture For Today:
Proverbs 22:24-25
24 Do not make friends with a hot tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered 25 Or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared. (NIV)
Romans 12:18
18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (NIV)
Titus 3:10
10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. (NIV)
Prayer For Today:
Hello Father! Make us aware of Your presence in our day-to-day business. Prepare our heart with peace and joy of who we are in You. Remind us in those moments of stress that You are in control and you will make all things right. Finally, Father, enable us to be kind when kindness is not what we feel and to walk away to new things, if that is Your will. Forgive us of our sins. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
© 2015 Kathy Ledbetter all rights reserved
I love this and so beautifully referenced to the word! Tank you for sharing and I can relate! I know prayer is the answer!
Thank you Deann!!
I love the Scripture references you included! For those of us who have walked through this ourselves or with a loved one, we know that prayer works its blessed way through our hearts as pray-er as well as the one who’s being prayed for. It’s easy to want vengeance, but that’s God’s business. Prayer sets our hearts right.
Thanks for this! I know a someone who will use it.
I have found that to be true as well. Sometimes, as you noted, the praying for others actually does its best work in the pray-er.