They are everywhere! At the groceries store, on the roads (disrespecting your right of way), at work and even at home. It is irritating and sometimes infuriating. Psychology defines a difficult person as having many of the following characteristics: selfish, the owner of truth, remorseless, addicted to bad behaviour, rude, not a team player … in summary an a**h**e.
But sometimes this troublemaker is your relative, your child! I have two that constantly wobble between the categories of angels and a**h**es. Sometimes (sometimes) I just want to spend quality time with them, but they rather be with friends or watch YouTube videos. Or when I’m cooking dinner and I like their help but they are “too busy” doing homework. And do I have to ask my daughters to help clean the table after dinner, everytime, several times, while they “lounge on tick tock”, every single dinner? Or when someone tells you, you can count on them for a job and bails out the very last minute? Or when you do bless someone with a favor and they don’t acknowledge your efforts? Or when they see you need help but choose to ignore you? And the worst, you give them a gift and they openly don’t care about it. You know that person you dread buying anything for because they will sneer at you?
Let’s look at sports now. Think you are the head coach and you need to pick your team, are you going to pick the very talented but extremely difficult (a**h**e) athlete OR the one that plays for the team, works with you to improve and gives you assurance that he or she will be there for you no matter what?
Important to remember that while dealing with difficult people: “See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.” 1 Thessalonians 5:15
Psychology today has a good article (click here) on how to deal with difficult people, but I’m not going to spend time on this. I wanted to make a point about difficult people. They disregard you. Are we on the same page about difficult people?
So here is my question to you, how difficult are you to God?
What do you do when God wants to spend time with you?
Have you ever helped God prepare dinner for his less fortunate kids?
Does God have to ask you to help “clean whatever” every day, do you have the initiative to help Him?
Can God count on you for a job?
Do you acknowledge God’s blessings and favors daily?
Have you ever offered God help?
Do you sneer at God’s gifts?
So, how difficult are you to God? As His child, are you behaving like and angel or an a**h**e?
If you Love God your father and you believe God can give you anything you want, “ If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” John 15:7 why aren’t you being less difficult? What behavior can you change to please God more? Do you want to be on God’s team?
Be thankful, be present and be joyous of His presence, always. Be less difficult to Him and I assure you His blessings will pour into your life.