Living for God, Even When Others Make It Difficult
Approach others with forgiveness and grace.
Have your emotions ever been affected by someone in your life?
Are you the type of person who can brush “things” off your shoulders or the type of person who becomes bogged down by others’ words or actions?
It would be a lie to say that no one influences our emotional state of being. Even the most emotionally stable individuals have moments of frustration.
It’s important to approach others with an attitude of forgiveness. People are going to offend us so being prepared to forgive is the best starting place.
Ephesians 4:32 tells us, “Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you”.
When people unintentionally hurt us, it is important to remember that we also often offend others.
Each one of us has offended a holy God.
The Ephesians passage reminds us that we needed to be made right with God first, and that comes only through Christ.
Then, it helps to realize that we unintentionally offend others regularly. Even the nicest people are not immune from causing offense.
Giving grace to others, as we would desire for ourselves, is the best response. When we show grace to others, they will be more willing to show grace to us in times of need.
Now, not everyone offends us unintentionally. We sometimes encounter people who purposely lash out at us with an intent to hurt.
Even in these instances, God desires for us to be gracious, merciful, and forgiving. Remember, Christ died for us while we were still sinners and enemies (Romans 5:8).
In fact, Jesus tells us to “… love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Jesus asks us to live in a Christ-like manner, which contradicts the world … loving our enemies, rather than hating them.
Living for an audience of one.
There may come a time to remove ourselves from our enemies’ lives, entrusting them to the Lord. However, God asks a big task from us.
It is easy to let others’ words and actions define us, but that is never God’s intent. For the follower of Christ, our identity and worth come solely from Jesus.
The temptation to please others is prevalent and it will sidetrack God’s work in our lives.
Marshall Segal writes, “People-pleasing is a well-worn scheme and trap of Satan. If we think people-pleasing began with self-esteem training, the tolerance movement, or social media, we have underestimated how interwoven this temptation has been with humanity.”
Also, allowing bitterness or anger to arise from a person’s word or actions, whether intended or not, will hinder one’s work for the Kingdom of God.
The keys to success include being quick to forgive, reminding yourself of your worth in Christ Jesus, and praying for God’s strength in living for Him alone.
In doing these things, God will strengthen relationships and use us in unimaginable ways for His glory.
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:35-36).
