“And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends . . .” – Job 42:10a
There is something deeply profound about that verse.
A challenge for you, and for me too: think about the one person on earth that irritates, or hurts, or frustrates you the most, and begin praying for that person every day.
I believe that nothing but restoration and good can come from that.
(and if you ever just want to have your mind blown, read the last few chapters of Job!)
This is interesting timing, because just last night, as I watching our tape of last week’s episode of “The Office,” it occurred to me that for the last few years, I have been in the enviable position of loving everyone I know. Most people I know have at least one person in their sphere of existence that bugs them or annoys them or who they flat-out struggle with hating (usually someone at work or school). I don’t know why it suddenly occurred to me, but I came at it from the angle not of not having a hard person to love in my life, but of loving everyone I know. I thanked God for that blessing, because I know it is rare.
In fact, the person I struggle most with disliking is myself! 😉
That’s awesome Jared!
I may be in the same boat. As I dashed off this little post last night I started thinking “who will I pray for?” and I couldn’t think of anyone offhand.
But I’m sure I will, given time 🙂
Now – was it something about The Office that made you think of that?
Well, just a combination of the ongoing Michael Scott character arc (the boss who thinks everyone loves him but really nobody does — well, except Dwight) and that particular episode’s subplot about Jim having to use the desk “in the back” near the annoyingly talkative and juvenile Becky. I think the episode just had me thinking through my morning’s reading in Scot McKnight’s “The Jesus Creed,” which is about loving God and loving others.
A challenge for you, and for me too: think about the one person on earth that irritates, or hurts, or frustrates you the most, and begin praying for that person every day.
I wish that I could today. I just can’t. It has given me something to think about. In fact, I thought I was past the anger of things today. I realized I am not today.