You Have Reason to Be

I like people.
I really do.
There are very few people I do not like.
But, occasionally, someone really annoys me.
And recently, I ran into one of the people that has annoyed me for several decades.
(Don't worry; it's not you.)

I struggled that night with how I felt towards that person.
I felt guilty that I did not like them.

And finally, I went to God and said,
"This person still really annoys me."
And dear, sweet God!
This is what I think I heard Him say back to me!
"You have reasons to be annoyed."

I thought of their annoying ways
and realized that they were really annoying.

But God took my annoyance from me
by acknowledging that I had reason for being annoyed.

He didn't condemn me.
He released me.

And wonder of wonders,
I wasn't annoyed anymore!

It happened again today.

Something was just too much and I told God,
"It's just too much."
And He said, "It is, isn't it?"
and suddenly, I was fine.

What if we did this for our kids?

What if, instead of lectures about loving people
and forgiving people,
we would say,
"Oh, that wasn't nice what they did.
No wonder you are mad.
I'm sorry they did that."

When the kids were younger,
and had a complaint against a bully type acquaintance,
I'd say,
"I am going to go get them and hang them upside down."
Or I'd say something else a bit violent with a funny image to it.

They would laugh and say,
"It's okay Mom. You don't have to do that."
Then they would run happily off.
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I've gotten too "spiritual."
I want to be more like God.
Because He says things like,
"Vengeance is mine,
and I'll pay them back."