Is it possible to force our way to better behavior and to a better mindset? I think so. And is it fake if it works? Have you ever had a person in your life who gets you upset or annoyed every time you see them, or even hear their name? I have some in mine. There are people who make my blood pressure rise. Are they my enemies? No, they are sometimes even friends! Seasons and situations can arise where relationships can be strained, sometimes without one party even knowing about it. With women these situations can be frequent and intense. Sometimes hormonal or from the seasons of the moon, or just miscommunication…any which way, it is all consuming. We spend our hours second guessing ourselves and what we might have said or done. Could we have done something differently? There is a great quote…
” We don’t see people for who they are, we see them through the filter of everyone we have ever known. We don’t see circumstances as they are, we see them through the filter of everything we’ve ever experienced.” – Erwin McManus –
This is so true. We all see things differently. We all have our own experiences and filters through which we see the world. For those of you who are married, this can happen a lot. Not only are we of a different gender, we also have a totally different view of what we see. It is said that we should try to walk in someone else’s shoes, easier said than done. What works for me is prayer. I start praying for my “enemy”. Every time I think of them or see them, I say a little prayer. Sometimes it’s just a mutter under the breath, but something. Instant results! The situation might not change, but my mindset does. God answer the prayers by changing me…after all, I am the one with the problem. I am not talking about real conflict at this point…just imagined conflict. There is enough of that in my life to keep my prayer life busy. The burden gets lighter and the “conflict” starts to dissipate.
Colossians 4:2 says, “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.” This is an intentional prayer. A prayer where you pay attention to what you are saying, and deliberately being thankful.
Try it…it works!
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