Forgive The Grinch…Even When They Are Difficult
Dealing with difficult people around the holidays can be frustrating, but it’s important that we forgive them for their behavior
With Christmas approaching, many will be attending gatherings with family and friends. While Christmas is usually a joyous occasion, there is at times a certain friend of a friend, or family member that is difficult to deal with or tends to rub us the wrong way by projecting their hurtful words or bad attitude.
If you find yourself in one of these situations, here are some scriptures to help you with this!
- 1 Peter 3:9 “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.”
- Proverbs 10:12 “Hatred stirs up hatred, but love covers all offenses.”
- Proverbs 15:1 “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
We will always encounter people we don’t agree with whether it is politically, spiritually, or on medically (COVID-19) related topics. God calls us to treat others with love and kindness.
Here are some good practices to not stir up strife:
- Stay calm. Seek to listen and understand before trying to be understood. Be tolerant of other’s opinions and beliefs. We will always encounter people with differing opinions, strong personalities, or critical words. Think of what must be going on in their life? Often, a person who says hurtful words is also a victim of hurt. Understanding their situation can help prevent further conflicts.
- Speak with non-combative, but truthful words. It’s important to remember that you’re trying to help these individuals. But, you can’t do that if they look at you as the enemy.
- Forgive the offender. Hurt that is not dealt with in a healthy way turns into bitterness and an unforgiving spirit. This can affect a person emotionally, spiritually, and also physically! When we forgive others, it not only releases the debt against them but also frees us of bitterness, so it does not rule over you. I once heard this expression that I thought was put perfectly; “Not forgiving others is like drinking a cup of poison and expecting it to hurt the other person.”
Forgiving the other person is just as much for us as for them. If we expect our heavenly Father to forgive us, we must also forgive others.
Wishing you all a very Merry non-conflicted Christmas! Will you make it a point to help or love the Grinch?
During my recovery from cancer, I was inspired to create a cookbook of delicious foods. However, it was my decision that these recipes would be made healthier. Being a Certified Health Coach with over thirty-two years experience as a registered nurse, my goal is to help others in achieving a healthier lifestyle.
Every bite of food we take either feeds disease or fights it. Throughout my personal experiences as a nurse, as well as my personal research on food and nutrition, I’ve determined there is a glaring need for more nutritious ingredients in our foods with less refined sugar, fat, and chemicals.
Because I come from a family of bakers and good cooks. I love delicious food! Which, can often make things tough. So, I decided to compile some of my favorite recipes and make a few changes to the ingredients, ultimately making them healthier!
Besides publishing my cookbook, “My Favorite Recipes Made Healthier”, I’ve published this blog which includes recipes, how-to videos, as well as many other things to provide you with support for a healthier mind, body, and soul. My hope is that this will help many others to ease the confusion and frustration of healthier cooking and a healthier lifestyle. Enjoy!
