Headaches

How do you mentally deal with someone who causes you distress, the one who when you remember, triggers bitterness in you or raises your blood pressure, anger, or sadness? They may be your enemy, spouse, ex-spouse, ex-anyone, coworker, opponent, adversary, competitor, attacker, rebel, invader, relative. . . . .just add the synonyms you want. We all have those types of people on our ‘headache’ list.Some friends and I have been processing this issue in line with the recent sermon series in our church. One of the most effective antidotes to this common problem, we are discovering, is what our Lord Jesus prescribed centuries ago, which most people have forgotten about. I looked up various translations of Matthew 5:44, and here’s what I found: Pray for those who persecute/torment/ annoy/speak badly of/ ignore/hurt/spitefully use/curse/despise/harass/mistreat/insult you.The friends and I have begun experimenting with this counsel from God: As soon as someone in the above category comes to mind, we lift them up to God in prayer, before our minds go in any negative direction. And, the results have been quite remarkable. Often, it becomes possible to say something like, “Lord, I am leaving that person with You. I am moving on under Your care.”Simple. Doable. Effective. De-stressing. The Lord Jesus still has the best antidote to how we handle our ‘headache’😊     –Jeba Moses