No man can survive as an individual not unless he/she is a god or a beast. We all need each other, one way or another. But among the people we need are a few who have perfected the art of stealing our joy. Some of these people come into our lives to stay, others come and go but either way they make it difficult for us to love them.
The Bible has given us a mandate to love and stand such people regardless. “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak” (Romans 15:1). The one million dollar question is, how can you bear with someone you can barely bear? Here is what you will do. Take a notepad and write the name(s) of all the people whom you find hard to love. Do not label them as enemies, a nuisance or competitors, but label them as Extra Grace Required (ERG), because that is what they require, extra grace.
Teach yourself to love them not by what you see but by faith, stop focusing on what they do wrong, and identify at least one positive trait they possess and then focus on it. While at it, pray and ask God to give you the spirit of tolerance and patience and keep reminding yourself of the positive trait you have identified. You will be surprised at the result, because sometimes the grace we give can be God’s vehicle into the heart of the one you can’t bear.
