Blessed Annoyance

So, what do we do when certain people in our lives annoy us?

I'm talking about those people who really get on our nerves. Even harder, those people who get on our nerves who we serve alongside in ministry. It is fascinating to me that in a given situation, I and another person have the capacity to say the exact "perfect" thing to one another that creates an awkward situation of disagreement and contention.

I confess that my desire in those situations is to "flee the scene." Or next time, to "avoid the scene." I'll chalk that person and I's relationship up to "different personalities" and "for the sake of the ministry" avoid interaction with he or she. This action may be best for the ministry. God may be using contention to call two different people to two different areas of ministry. However, this may not be the case. Unfortunately for all who struggle with this as I do, this may be a call by God into a season of learning the truth about love.

Jesus calls us to love our enemies, and pray for those who persecute us. This is one reason I know that the desire of my Father is that I love he or she who annoys me, and to pray for he or she who I do not get along with. Not to mention the fact that he or she is most likely my brother or sister in Christ - part of our family! Also, they are probably just as annoyed with me and my fleshly tendencies and personality. So, what do we do now?

The next time I am in those situations of "annoying interactions," resolve:

- to remind myself that God was annoyed with the way that I rejected His self-less love for me, yet He loved and pursued me anyway.

- to remind myself that I am speaking with, perhaps, a member of my family (God's family).

- to remind myself that God has power to change my heart so that we become the best of friends.

- to remind myself that I can serve and love this person in the power of Christ, and have joy in doing so.

- to chose to love them and pray for them.

- to chose to forget my flesh and the lies that I make up in my head, for the sake of another.


All of this in the hope of knowing Jesus more fully, and glorifying His beautiful love!