"Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing." 1 Peter 3:9
How many times have you gotten frustrated at another person? How many times have you looked at someone and thought to yourself how much easier your life would be if they were not in it? Even if you know it’s wrong to think so.
Have you ever told yourself that God was the one who put them in your life? That it was God who decided that this person could help you on your walk to His Kingdom?
In principle, I'm sure many of us know this. And I'm sure we’ve even reminded ourselves of this on an occasion when someone is being particularly difficult. But how often do we take this idea into our hearts and truly believe it? How many times do we look at our slightly trying brother or sister - whether biological or baptized - and thank the LORD that He has put them in our path to help us develop His characteristics?
Recently, I have found myself struggling with this particular problem with some people I know. I love them, dearly, but they have seemed to cause me much inner suffering and tribulation with the things they do and say. I struggle to keep the thought that this is God’s purpose and plan for me.
But we have to remember that even if it is a person who might seem to spark our newest trials, the trials still are from God. When He puts a person in our life, just like any other trial we might have, it is to help us, mold us, round out our rough edges.
With the people in my own life, maybe God is trying to teach me patience, or self-sacrifice. It is more than possible that He knows I cannot develop either of those traits without another person on whom to practice.
If we think about it, many trials - our own and those of Bible characters - involve others. Classmates, teachers, co-workers, siblings, etc, are only a few we see everyday.
For Joseph, his brothers mocked him, beat him, sold him, and proceeded to lie to their father about his whereabouts. Potiphar’s wife and her lie threw him into prison. But without these people working, seemingly against him, he would never have saved his family.
For Esther, Haman was trying to kill her and all her people. She probably wished God would strike him down in an instant. But what did she learn from her laborious trial because of him?
But God didn’t always give His followers adversaries with ill intent either. Job’s three friends did not mean harm when they talked with him. They thought they had Job’s best interests at heart.
God is teaching us something through the people we find hard to handle. He works through them, many times bringing about our worst - and most needed - trials through them.
We need to remember this when we encounter those whose actions and/or traits might cause us to dislike them. We need to know that this is part of the LORD’s plan. He is trying His hardest to help us to the Kingdom in any and all ways He knows we will respond to. He knows best. That person in our lives is there to help.
But only if only we let them.
In the Hope of Israel,
Mikaelah B
"For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness." Psalms 84:10
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