Do you have someone in your life that just pushes all your buttons? Someone that just sends you over the edge with just a glance?
I've been in a few situations lately where I've seen this happen with other people and also with myself.
When it happens with me, I feel terrible! Why do I feel this way? Why are these people able to do this to me?
As I watch it in other people my questions are a little different. Why do you feel this way? Why do you let these people do this to you?
Interesting. When it's me, it's people doing something to me, but when it's others, it's them letting something get to them. It's interesting, and honestly, the second is the way I should be thinking for myself. People can only get under my skin if I let them.
There are people out that love to push people's buttons. They love to make people less than they are. Oh, maybe that's not fair, maybe they don't even realize they are doing it. Sometimes, maybe it's in us!
Maybe those people we think are pushing our buttons or those people we think are against us, really aren't. What if we just see it that way. What if we are only looking at the surface? What if God sent them our way to challenge us, to push us, to test us. What if they are there pushing buttons to prepare us? What if they are there to help us but we refuse to see it because we are over sensitive or defensive?
In my case, some people pushing my buttons could just be preparing me for my journey in ministry. Preparing me for trials, for dissension. Preparing me for the ugliness that is out there that I like to shelter myself from, kind of toughening up my skin.
1 Corinthians 4:12b-13a
When we are cursed, we bless;
when we are persecuted, we endure it;
when we are slandered we answer kindly."
Perhaps it's a test to see where my heart is. Is my heart with Christ? Is if full of love? Or is it full of resentment, anger, and/or hate?
I've been in a few situations lately where I've seen this happen with other people and also with myself.
When it happens with me, I feel terrible! Why do I feel this way? Why are these people able to do this to me?
As I watch it in other people my questions are a little different. Why do you feel this way? Why do you let these people do this to you?
Interesting. When it's me, it's people doing something to me, but when it's others, it's them letting something get to them. It's interesting, and honestly, the second is the way I should be thinking for myself. People can only get under my skin if I let them.
There are people out that love to push people's buttons. They love to make people less than they are. Oh, maybe that's not fair, maybe they don't even realize they are doing it. Sometimes, maybe it's in us!
Maybe those people we think are pushing our buttons or those people we think are against us, really aren't. What if we just see it that way. What if we are only looking at the surface? What if God sent them our way to challenge us, to push us, to test us. What if they are there pushing buttons to prepare us? What if they are there to help us but we refuse to see it because we are over sensitive or defensive?
In my case, some people pushing my buttons could just be preparing me for my journey in ministry. Preparing me for trials, for dissension. Preparing me for the ugliness that is out there that I like to shelter myself from, kind of toughening up my skin.
1 Corinthians 4:12b-13a
When we are cursed, we bless;
when we are persecuted, we endure it;
when we are slandered we answer kindly."
Perhaps it's a test to see where my heart is. Is my heart with Christ? Is if full of love? Or is it full of resentment, anger, and/or hate?
Several weeks ago I preached on Matthew 5:44
"But I say to you, Love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you..."
Now, I realize that those who push my buttons are not necessarily persecuting me but I feel like this still applies. I need to love them, to pray for them, I need to pray for me.
So recently, I found myself praying, "Change my heart, O God. Help me to love these people as you do, help me to see them with your eyes, help me to hear them with your ears, help me to love them with your heart."
I feel like this should be my prayer everyday for everyone I meet whether they push my buttons or not. It's hard. Sometimes we meet people whose personalities clash with ours. We are always bound to meet someone who for no good reason, we just don't like. We are all so different and are all in different places in our lives and sometimes we are so alike that it drives us crazy! This is when we need to pray, to pray the one above or something similar. We need God to help us be more like him, to offer that unconditional love that he offers to each of us. It's not easy. He never said it would be but through him we can do it.
Change my heart, O God.
Help me to love these people as you do,
help me to see them with your eyes,
help me to hear them with your ears,
help me to love them with your heart.
Amen
THANK YOU! I needed this today.
ReplyDeleteWell then, it was meant for you!! :)
ReplyDeleteYep, needed this also!
ReplyDeleteWell then it have been meant for you! :) Thank you for visiting and commenting.
ReplyDelete