Irritated On Purpose

(The conversation in my head went something like this...)

Going off on her in your mind didn’t help. Not getting any sleep didn’t help. Stressing out because the situation seems out of your control didn’t help. Putting in your complaint about her seeming obsession with control surely didn’t do the trick. Praying to God to remove her...well, she’s still there so not sure where that prayer went. Have you ever thought that “she” was put there on purpose to irritate you? Yea, I know we don’t like people that irritate us, cause problems, or make us stress. Let’s for a moment take a paradigm shift and see things from a different perspective. Maybe she was put there to make you a better person and build character in you. Maybe there is something in her that you need to improve on internally and the fact that she is around you irritates you, but it may be for your good.
(End of conversation in my head)

In the past I would run from situations like that and just calmly remove myself from people who irritate me, but lately I'm understanding that when I'm in process it won't always be pleasurable. God works in mysterious ways and even when we feel that things are out of our contro—such as the situation above—we need to be reminded that “all things are working together for our good” as stated in Romans 8:28. Even people who tend to drive us bananas. As God is shaping me and molding me, he will at times use other “tools/people” to cut out of me what he can’t use. It hurts and requires a GREAT amount of humility, but I must remember it’s for my good and when I submitted in the beginning to the love of Christ, this was apart of that agreement. There are a few lessons that I want to share with you that I learned from this experience:

1.    Everyone will not like you and you will not like everyone, but the commandment is to love them regardless because you never know if they are sent to help mold and shape you into the awesome person you are in Christ.
2.    If you find yourself going off on someone in your mind, ask yourself if Christ is pleased with your thoughts, then cast them away. While I was losing sleep, she was probably sleeping peacefully. It will eat you up like cancer if you refuse to let it go.
3.    Humbling yourself is easier said than done, but it has a GREAT return on investment. What I didn’t tell you is that the woman who irritated me until I felt like pulling my hair out is now treating me like I’m her best friend.  I’ll take that!
4.    Win people to Christ through your lifestyle and actions.  The woman that I am speaking of is not saved. The question I now ask myself is, “What if God wants to use me in helping her come to Christ?” Glad I didn’t do what my flesh felt like doing.
5.    Never say anything when you are upset or feel led by your emotions. You must pray and die to your fleshly ways first, then recognize who you are and whose you are; a child of the King. Represent well.

In conclusion, the next time you run into someone that irritates the MESS out of you and won’t seem to go away no matter how hard you pray; just think, you just might be irritated on purpose, with purpose, to press you into your purpose. God Bless!