New Covenant Church
Join us at one of our three services on Sundays, at 9:30 and 11:15 AM at our South campus, and at 9:30 at our North Campus! Visit wearencc.com for more information.
What defines a difficult person?
Anyone who gets on our nerves. or disagrees with us...
How do we deal with them?
What do we do when we have to be around them, or live with them, or go to church with them?
What we end up doing is hoping they change.
What if them changing isn’t the answer?
Romans 12:16-18 ESV
We can’t change others but we can change us.
If we make the solution to our life getting better dependent on others changing...we remove the power of God changing us on the inside.
Proverbs 15:1 NLT - A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.
OUR RESPONSE IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY!
5 THINGS WE CAN DO WHEN DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE
1. BE PATIENT WITH THEM
2 Timothy 2:23-24 NLT - 23 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.
Proverbs 19:11 - Good sense makes one slow to anger
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
“Seek first to understand...then to be understood.”
Proverbs 19:11 - Good sense makes one slow to anger; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.
It’s not just to THEIR benefit...but YOUR benefit.
2. OVERLOOK THE OFFENSE
THE AGE OF OFFENSE
This could be a person, a group of people like the republicans or the democrats, or an organization etc.
Proverbs 17:14 NLT - Starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop before a dispute breaks out.
We have to have tough skin and a soft heart. When we choose to be offended we harden our heart but in love we must learn to overlook
Proverbs 10:12 - Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.
Colossians 3:13 - Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.
3. FORGIVE THEM
Un-forgiveness is like drinking poison hoping the other person dies.
You’re the one who suffers. The one who is in prison in your mind & poisoned in your heart.
Luke 23:34 - And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
You may be waiting for them to come to you. Forgiveness doesn’t require an apology
Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT - 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
4. PRAY FOR THEM
Matthew 5:43-44 - You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you
Prayer may change them...but it CHANGES YOU.
5. BLESS THEM
1 Peter 3:9 NLT - Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing.
Luke 6:27-28 NLT - 27 But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you
There’s a response that is right, but it requires more of us than it does of them.
We can’t control them. We can’t change them. But we can control us. We can choose how we respond to them.