Pulling Your Hair Out?!

Difficult people can make every aspect of daily living a challenge. They can take the form of strangers, the Wal-Mart cashier, family members, co-workers, even - dare we say it - friends at church!! Let's face it; we're all made of different DNA and we just don't all think, act, or feel the way everyone else around us does.

The challenge comes from God's Word, in Rom. 12:18 when Paul says, as often as possible, when we have the choice, we should live at peace with those around us. LIVE AT PEACE... and to make it more difficult, it's not the job of the "difficult person", it's up to us. It doesn't matter what that person does or says, we're supposed to live at peace with them.

That's just not FAIR, you say. (My favorite line since I was 3.) Doesn't seem very fair to me when I read it either. Then again, we're brought back to what Jesus did for us on the cross. Was it fair for Him to die for us when He was without sin? Of course not. Jesus is our ultimate example, and as followers of Christ, our job is to be as much like Him as we can.

The good news - we don't have to do it alone. We can look to the Holy Spirit for His unbeatable power to help us make the right choice - even when our emotions tell us to do otherwise. He gives us some practical solutions to help us live at peace with difficult people:

1. Pray - through the moment, that God will help you act and speak like Jesus.
2. Meditate on Scripture - keep your minds on things above.
3. Praise - listen to a Christian song or sing your favorite praise song.

It's amazing how God can change our hearts and our feelings when we meditate and think on HIM. Will it be easy? Of course not. Will it be worth it? YES! Just think of the lives you'll touch because you were willing to live at peace with them, even when they were being difficult!