Have you ever felt like there was one person at work who was out to get you? You did not do anything wrong, but they were busy making your life miserable. They may even have spread a few lies about you along the way. Perhaps, in their minds, they may even have saved you from yourself!
I have dealt with folks like this. Be assured that often it really is not about you nearly as much as it is about where they are trying to go in life. You might just happen to be standing between them and where they want to be.
If you want to successfully deal with this attack, you will need to remain calm, be honest in all things, pray, and apply loads of mercy and grace to the situation.
The first thing you must do is to get yourself in the right frame of mind. Start by praying, and this is the prayer request:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Galatians 5:22-26
One thing we tend to do when we are under attack is to attack back. When we act or perhaps react, we are not thinking clearly.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Romans 12:19
Forgiveness, mercy, and grace form the best approach. Forgive the person for any assumptions they have made. Be sure you are not making some in return. Have mercy on them. Do not give them the revenge you may wish to give them. Often this makes a situation harder to resolve. Extend grace to them. Give them what you do not feel they deserve by listening to what they are saying. It takes a cool head to get to the heart of an issue.
In the end, there may not be any solution found, but you will have the peace to know that you did your part by extending forgiveness, mercy, and grace. One verse I stand on when things do not work out as I would like:
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
No matter what the outcome, you can be assured that God had His hand on the situation.
LIFE APPLICATION
Key Focal Verse:
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
1 Corinthians 2:9-10
Today’s challenge is to pray for situations before you open your mouth. Believe me, I know how hard that can be. Also pray to have more fruit of the spirit. Extend forgiveness, mercy, and grace to that challenging person in your life.