My advice for you today is very wise...good, sound, Christian advice. Get out a pen and pencil. You will want to write this down. This is good stuff. Ready? Okay. My advice is....WHEN SOMEONE HURTS YOUR FEELINGS, GET REVENGE!
So, you are thinking, "Umm, that's not very Christian" or "I don't know what kind of Bible you are reading". Some of you may be thinking "That's exactly right, don't get mad, get even!" So, "What's going on?" you ask? "Who made you mad, Leigh-Ann?" Let me explain.
Don't worry. I'm still Christian. Still happy. No one made me mad. I preached two sermons on Sunday, as a matter of fact. All is well. Actually, I was talking with a fellow blogger at church this weekend who reminded me that it had been a long time since I posted a blog. I made the usual excuses, "Yes, I know. I've got to get back to it. I will soon. I've been busy, etc." I really hadn't given any more thought to blogging in the three days since, until God brought something to my attention. I didn't have a word of encouragement or advice to share, until last night. Then, my blogging itch returned. I actually had some words of wisdom pop into this 'ole brain of mine!
I had a revelation. There are people that do not like you. There are people that do not like me. (At this point, you may be thinking, "That's not exactly a revelation. I already knew that!" Just stay with me, I'm getting to the point.) There are people in your life that will hurt your feelings, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Unfortunately, there may be one or two people in your life that have made up their mind that they do not want to get along with you. Don't take it personally. You never know what's going on with the other person. Hurting people hurt people. Also, you don't know what kind of lies Satan is feeding them about YOU.
I realized last night that there are people that I just can't have a conversation with. Any conversation that I attempt to have with them ends with them getting angry, raising their voice and usually involves the use of curse words towards me. The revelation that I had is this. "I cannot change how they feel about me. I cannot control how they talk to me...but what I do have control over, what I can change....is how I RESPOND!" I can quietly and courteously end the conversation and move on...OR I can keep trying to explain my point and get angry and frustrated and act in an un-Christian manner myself. I can hang up the phone and then carry on with my day as planned OR I can let those words keep me angry, sad, hurt, frustrated, etc. for the rest of my day. After hanging up the phone, I can say a prayer for the person OR I can call two or three friends and tell them every word they said and have a pity party about how badly I was treated. [Because of course, our buddies will take our side, right? When we're mad, we call folks we know will agree with us!] (SMILE)
The revelation that I had is that it is MY CHOICE! I actually have a choice in this situation. Even though I can't make them like me... Even though I can't stop them from having a harsh tone or using harsh words..I actually have plenty of choices. I can control how I let it affect me, I can control how long the conversation lasts, I can control how long I listen to those words in my head after the conversation is over, and I can control how I respond. You have those same choices. You might not be able to change the way some people feel about you or what they say to you or about you...but you choose how you respond and how you let it affect you! Shake it off! Just like water off a duck's back!
Several months ago, I had another revelation. That's where the revenge part comes in. The Bible says that we reap what we sow. (Galations 6:7). The Bible also says that our words have power. (Proverbs 18:21). Our words can bring healing or death to a situation. The Bible also says that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, (people), but that our struggle is against evil forces. (Ephesians 6:12). Now, when someone has said or done something unkind towards you, the temptation is to retaliate, or get revenge. You might argue back or tell lots of people about the terrible thing that was done to you, so that they will feel sorry for you. You want people to dislike the other person that hurt you. The problem is that the person that hurt you is a child of God, made in the image of God, too. Even if they are an unbeliever, they are still God's workmanship. When you say something negative about them, your words are planting seeds. Unfortunately, you will reap the harvest of those negative words, and not the other person! According to Ephesians 6:12, you are upset with the wrong person. Its Satan that you should be angry with, not the other person! When Jesus was on the cross, he prayed for the people crucifying him! He prayed "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing!" We should not retaliate against people. The Bible says that vengeance, (or revenge), belongs to the Lord! Do not seek revenge against people.
Though I have been guilty in the past of talking too much about my hurt and letting hurtful words have too much power over me...I'm working on my new strategy. I don't seek revenge against people. I get revenge against the source of the problem! Now, whenever I hear something negative or hurtful that has been said about me, I plant a seed of kindness or do a good deed that will be an attack against the devil's plans. The devil wants me to be mad, angry, hurt, frustrated, discouraged, defeated, downcast, tired, insecure, inferior....(You get the idea). John 10:10 says that the devil has come to kill, steal, and destroy, but God has come that we might have an abundant life! I was recently praying to God about a situation and asking Him what he wanted me to do. Do you know the answer I received? "Enjoy your life!" That was the answer. Nothing profound. I was expecting something grander, bigger, loftier. Nope. Just "Enjoy your life!" So, while God works on the issue, I'm having fun!.
Start planting some good seeds that will give you the kind of harvest that you want. I promise, if you choose to take revenge against Satan's attacks by planting good seeds, you will start having fun with it and people will be blessed. If someone is hurtful to you, send them a gift. Bake them a cake. If that's not possible, bake a cake for a sick person or co-worker going through a difficult time. Put an extra $5 or $10 in the offering plate at church above your normal giving. Sow it as a seed and ask God to help you have forgiveness towards the person that hurt you. Start praying for God to bless that person. You won't believe what happens. Sow good seeds towards the hurt you experienced and expect blessings.
Months ago, someone said something unkind about my cooking and whether or not I know how to cook. They purposely meant it to be unkind. At first, I was angry and then hurt....Did I call them and set them straight? No. And they won't read this either. They'll never know that I know what they said. Guess what I did? I signed up to be in charge of my church's ministry to feed the homeless at the rescue mission. I'm now cooking for lots of people! All sorts of people from my church are volunteering to help. The homeless are being blessed and the volunteers are being blessed. I've talked to the Pastor about expanding the ministry in the future because we have more volunteers and more food than we do homeless people! New people have joined the church that have experience running a whole food pantry to feed a much bigger group of people than we are currently feeding. This ministry has potential to grow and bless MORE people. How cool is that?
Plant a seed, give an offering, do SOMETHING to bless someone today. Each time you are slighted, hurt, accused, mistreated....plant another seed, do another good deed, pray another prayer of blessing over the person.
Let your hurt be used for good! Let your hurt be used for God!
Genesis 50:20
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many.
Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
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