“I can’t control people, places, or things.” The truth is that unless we feel in control, we often struggle. What if we were to agree with ourselves today that:
Just for today I will be agreeable. I will not criticize, not find fault, and not try to improve or control anybody except myself. I will pray blessing on one person with whom I struggle to relate.
In our past we have all felt vulnerable at times. People acted in unpredictable and sometimes irritating ways. For a variety of reasons we were left feeling exposed and vulnerable.
All of us would like to avoid those frightening moments where we feel exposed and helpless. Some of us try to hide behind anger, criticizing, running away and avoiding, or just trying to grab control.
God invites us to live a better way. Just as He is gently working with us and teaching us a new way, God asks us to give the same respect and space to others, even when they are being difficult.
A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.
2 Timothy 2:24-25
In any group there will always be people with whom we find it difficult to relate, moments where it’s not easy to know how to speak or navigate through what is going on.
But, the one thing we do know is that we are called to speak and act in ways that bless and encourage, and leave the rest to God.
Loving God, we don’t like feeling vulnerable and certainly dislike feeling out of control. The truth is that we find ourselves in those kinds of moments more often than we care to admit.
Our prayer today is that You would help us to be people of grace and understanding as we prayerfully and patiently interact with others.
With the famous prayer that we say so often, we pray again today: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen
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