Switch Teams

I’m supposed to be this good woman.  This new creation in Christ because I was baptized and all the fruits of the Holy Spirit would rule my life now right? A big fat WRONG.

I fail.  And it’s not like a little tiny fail like “I was texting at work and being disobedient” kind of fail.  I mean I fail like “I am filled with anger and hatred about people and if I didn't get in trouble for it, I’d like to punch them in the face and the words that would come out of my mouth would not be pleasing to the Lord” kind of fail.  Sorry. I know that sounded harsh but I am keeping it real. Do you have people in your life like that?  People that literally could just make you so angry that if it tips the other way you could just cry?   They’ve hurt you.   They’ve wronged you.  They may be in your life still. But for some of you, they may be out of your life and are still hurting you from afar and they don’t even know they are doing it! Now that’s crazy right? No. I’m here to tell you, it’s not! It happens to all of us.  But the one thing that drives out hate is, you guessed it, LOVE.

You’re probably thinking the last feeling you want to have for that person is love for many reasons.  Especially for those of you that have done everything to stop loving this person because they don’t seem to love you the right way or at all.  But trust me when I tell you this- it’s the ONLY way. It’s tough to love a person like this but if you can get there, you will have complete and utter FREEDOM! I love that word by the way. 

Anyway, I was held captive by this hatred.  I was literally in the jail of my mind with this person for days wanting all their flaws to be revealed to the world and I wanted all the horrible things this person did to be put on the cover of a newspaper if I had my way. But without fail, a perfect God peacefully whispered something to my heart that made me realize I was working with the devil.  “What about love?” were the gentle words placed on me.  At that moment I realized I was throwing out everything that God wanted and was only concentrating on “poor ole me.” Do you remember what God wants for all of us?  It’s not just about you.  God wants that person to be well. God created that person to hopefully one day bring him glory.  God wants them to reach their full potential.  So here I was saying how much I loved God, yet I was rooting against him.  Why am I opposing what God wants?  Whose team am I on?  Why would I want a person to fail when that’s not what the Lord that I love so dearly wants for them? Why am I rooting against God? 

I know it’s hard.  But we have to get on God’s side. We have to root for what the Lord is rooting for.  So think about what that might look like.  Right now, take your anger and put it aside and write down what you think the Lord wants for that person.  And in your prayer for the next 30 days, pray for what God’s praying for.  Right now your jersey says you play for “The Fighters” but if you pray God’s prayers, your jersey will soon say “The Free.” God is urging you.  Switch teams.