Difficult People

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  

James 1:5

As soon as I saw Mary, I knew she was having a bad morning. I suspected the reason for her frazzled expression involved her mother. Having her mother live with her was turning out to be harder than she’d expected. 

As we began our walk through the neighborhood she said, “Mother couldn’t find her glasses this morning and accused me of taking them. I said I hadn’t, but she insisted. She fussed and fussed until I lost my temper.

“ I love my mother and don’t want to be impatient with her or unkind, but she can be so difficult.” 

Mary continued, “I know I need God’s help dealing Mother. Usually, I pray for wisdom and patience with her, but today I didn‘t. Look what happened.”

Most of us rub shoulders with difficult people. They are abrasive, obstinate, and annoying. Some of them irritate us unknowingly. Others do it with deliberate relish. Either way, we feel exasperated. 

Our difficult person can be a family member, someone we work with, a neighbor, or even a fellow church member. Whoever they are, God knows how we should deal with them, and He’s promised to help us. 

James 1:5 says, If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. We just need to ask. 

Father, thank You for giving us wisdom to deal with difficult people.

Carol