Dear Pastor, When will my
little brother grow up? He must be possessed by a demon or
something. He spends his whole day trying to make my life miserable.
How can I be happy living in a house with a demon? Sam
Dear Sam, Fight the urge to change someone else in your
family. When someone in your family invades your space (and they
will) and it makes your life miserable, don’t be too quick to wish
things were different. By understanding all viewpoints involved you
can find a solution.
Question: What happens when you use one of these methods to
try and change another person or situation?
Pleading or begging
Arguing or fighting
Threatening or manipulating
Ignoring
Whining
Question: Do any of the above methods bring long term
relief from the situation?
Discussion
Change works like this: You may win a temporary reprieve by
pleading, begging, fighting, whining, manipulating, ignoring, or
threatening. The clue here is the word temporary. Changes
obtained by any of these methods will not last. Real change takes
place from the inside. Can you change anyone from the inside? No
chance! Only God can bring about such an internal change and thus a
change that is real and lasts.
The Real Solution
So if you find that you must change someone living under the same
roof with you, pray for them. If God wants to change that person
(and He probably does if they are all bad as you believe), He can
and will. Your heartfelt prayers will cause God to bring about this
change in their lives.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully
use you, and persecute you; (Matthew 5:44 AV)
In the mean time, be kind, courteous, and loving toward the
object of your anger and frustration. Though the road may seem long
and hard at times, love never loses. God can and will use you and
your example of being a kind loving person to work change in the
life of your current nightmare. Let love and respect for others rule
your life and perhaps you will find that the other person isn’t so
bad after all.
Love never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they shall
fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be
knowledge, it shall vanish away. (1 Corinthians 13:8)
Final Thoughts
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
(Ephesians 4:32 AV)
Questions:
When do two wrongs make a right?
Can a Christian be spiteful? If so, when?
Application: "When life gives you lemons, make
lemonade." You cannot go to the mall tonight because your
younger sister may not go out on a school night. Though this may be
"unfair," how can you make the best of the situation? Is
your answer one Jesus would give?
