Dealing with Difficult People

Week 40, Thursday

Shari Falwell

I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too. Mark 11:24-25 (nlt)

People can be frustrating. There are times when my kids don’t obey, my husband is clueless, or my parents act like children. There are times when someone hurts my feelings or, even worse, hurts the feelings of someone I love. I want to fix everyone. I know I can try to “guide” people whom God has placed in my life, but I soon find I’m exhausted and my efforts are in vain.

I always wondered how my father-in-law could face difficult people all of the time and yet he never wavered in his faith. I found myself asking, “How did he do it?”

I believe Jerry Falwell realized early on that there was nothing he humanly could do that would change anyone’s personality. He could preach, teach, and try his best to reason with people, but he couldn’t change them internally. Only God could do that. So I believe he gave up trying to change others, and said, “God, it’s up to You. It’s Your problem and not mine. I’m wasting my time if I worry about them. It’s not my job; it’s Yours, and You’ll do a better job of it anyway.”

Jerry Falwell couldn’t tear down walls and strongholds in other people’s lives, but he could point them to the One who could. He believed, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world” (Ephesians 6:12, nlt).

When we allow other people’s strongholds to consume us, we find that we are trying to sit in the “judgment seat” and that is not our job. God wants us to have life more abundantly, and if we are consumed with our disappointments in other people, we miss out on the abundance of life.

God, I know You will never disappoint me. I realize that man will always fail, but Jesus never fails. Lord, help me have Your heart toward everyone, especially difficult people. I know that we are all empty vessels who need You to fill us. I acknowledge that the only way to experience wholeness is if we allow Your presence to fill every gap. Amen.