I need to be honest… I have a hard time with drama people bring sometimes. I know that we all do this, and I am certainly guilty of it, but it’s just infectiously annoying. I hate it because, I had a great day yesterday, but there were people who just brought the "shade" or "distance" or "dirty looks", and despite my great day, their negativity is all that’s on my mind. I allowed it to poison my mood, and I was not myself one bit. Some friends even noticed it immediately, and I had to play it off…

Note: I find the need to pause often today because I don’t want to write something that isn’t Christ-like, or go off on tangents in what other people should do… this is about God, and what I can do during a frustrating time (for me, if not a group of people).

But this scripture helps because it doesn’t tell me "once they start treating you like you should, you can live peaceably with them". In everything that I can do, everything that is in my control, I am to live peaceably with them. From my friends, right on down to the people whom I could live happily without. In writing this out, I am reminded that God puts these struggles in my life, to make me grow in my faith, and learn the lessons that He is trying to teach me. And speaking for myself, I have a feeling that God will be trying to teach me these lessons for a while (bc I’m finding myself focusing on the wrong things).

The one graceful word in that scripture is "if possible". There will be (not "may be" but "will be") people who won’t allow peace between the two of you. I have been told to simply walk away, and make the determination to not let their "whatever" poison your day. I know that, when someone pushes us too far, or rubs us the wrong way, or when they’re just flat out hateful, to not let it get under my skin. Pausing, breathing, and praying for not only patience, but understanding, because these people were "brought’ to this unhappy moment in their life (and more likely than not, they don’t even realize it themselves). Pray for the strength to pray for them, but also pray for you to move on in your day. My problem is, I dwell over stuff like this. I’ve gotten better, but when "push comes to shove" and it begins to pile up, I revert - I stew. And I just shot myself in the foot. It’s then, when I find it difficult to even pray to God.

Another problem is, I know that, more likely than not, these people are hurting. That’s the only reason that could explain their crazy behavior, their determined course to be "a struggle" in my day. If I am upset enough where I need to calm down, God reminds me of "their hurt" and I selfishly get upset again, not overtime but because I "fell into the trap"… I got angry over something that neither one of us has control of (at the moment).

I need constant reminders that I have a part in this - "as far as it depends on you", and that if I’m fulfilling my end of the deal, God is upholding His as well. God can and will move on your behalf. The scriptures noted after vs 18 talk about not seeking revenge, but allowing God to be the one who avenges us. If there’s one thing that I’ve learned thru years of experience is, you can’t lower yourself to their level - it does no good, ruins your own personal blessings, and the day when God will handle it for you. Instead of looking at "getting back" (or in my case, "setting this foo’ str8") is to simply remain faithful, and try & find the peace in all of this. Doing this will produce more personal victories, showing the other person their own fault.