Saturday, February 16, 2019

Insults - How To (and how not to) Handle Them

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You’re not everyone’s cup of tea. People will dislike you, disagree with you, and some may downright hate you. They’ll spread lies about you and do their best to bring you down. They'll write about you in the Burn Book (aka social media) with an end game of causing a giant ruckus. How does your heart handle that?

Turns out, mine doesn’t handle it well. 

I knew that taking this leap into a creative field would require some thick skin, a strong heart, and a mind of grace. So I asked God to help me build up those qualities. I asked Him to prepare me for the work that lay ahead and not to hold back. For I know when I am tested I am being strengthened. 

He answered my prayer. 

He answered it by revealing to me some of the worst hateful comments I’ve ever heard. Untrue statements that took a direct hit to my creative mindset and personality. My sense of humor, my heart of joy...all of it thrown to the wolves as a massive feast. 

I cried like a baby, performed without my normal bounce of energy, and then went home and cried like a baby again. (Real mature, I know).

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I was crushed. I was convinced that I was never getting on that stage again. Every doubt I ever had about this career surfaced and I felt defeated. Then I remembered something...I asked for this. I asked to be prepared for the work that lay ahead, and the fact that God answered that prayer solidifies the fact that I have work to be done ahead of me! Work that requires thick skin, a strong heart, and a mind of grace. 

So with a new found joy, I prayed some more. I prayed for those people and their wicked hearts. I prayed success and joy and love over them. I prayed for healing of their misery and hope for their future. I praised God for my answered prayer. I praised Him for reminding me that I belong to Him. Not man. Him. It was SO FETCH!

I didn’t retaliate...and oh how I so badly wanted to retaliate.

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However, that’s not my job. My job is to love God and love others. So I continue to do what Momma always said, “kill ‘em with kindness”. The kindest thing I know to do is pray for someone. So pray I did. 

I know you’ve been in the same boat. Tossing, turning, and possibly drowning from the criticism of others. Jesus has been in that boat too. Way more often than us and with much more danger. He was so kind. He not only prayed for them, he died for them; the cruel, wicked, and evil people that also includes both you and I...and Regina George.

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So when life gets you down remember who you belong to and never sell out for the indispensable opinions of others. Be kind, be loving, be gracious. Keep creating, keep exploring, and keep chasing that dream. God’s got your back. 

Love,

LL