Do You Boo Boo
Has there ever been that one friend or that one family member who whenever you think about that person instant dread and frustration floods your body? I have. Multiple people, honestly. There were times where I would wake up in the middle of the night worrying. I would pray constantly for God to help my loved ones in the way they needed. I would take time out of my day or days to help devise plans and/or give unsolicited advice to help my loved ones only for them to either do the exact opposite or remain the same.
At one point, I decided to confide in my therapist about this and essentially, she asked me, “What does this person behaving like this have to do with you?”
The only rebuttal I had was, “Nothing.” I decided to give the person over to the Lord and vowed to focus on things I can change, which was myself.
I realized that I can’t make a person do anything. Just like, in the past, no one could make me do anything. I did the opposite of what people told me to do. I did the opposite of what my Spirit told me to do. However, God is using all my mistakes to create my testimony so I can share with others, so you can see that no one is perfect, but in spite of that, God still loves all of us anyway. I had to realize that the path that my loved ones are on are part of their own journeys, which will be included in their own testimonies. It may not seem like the right decision to me, but that’s because it's not my journey.
My only responsibility in this situation is to: PRAY FOR THEM.
Philippians 4:6 (NLT) says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Moreover, Proverbs 3:5 (NIV) says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”
After I prayed for this person and made the conscientious decision to let the anxiety and frustration go, it was like a weight lifted off my shoulders. I felt lighter and freer. My attitude has also improved. Moreover, I discovered that I was altering my life around this person in a way that wasn’t even necessary.
Now, this is not to say to not counsel your loved ones when they ask, please do so. But if you have preached and preached and harped and harped, and the person is not listening or trying to change, do as Jesus instructed the disciples and “shake [the] dust from your feet.”
I have witnessed prayer do powerful things. I have witnessed healings, promotions and more. After letting the situation go and praying about it, I have even noticed a positive difference in the relationship between me and that person. It’s like there is more trust and understanding. Not only that, but I am also more than confident that the person will get through their situation, that person just has to find their own way.
I know it is hard. The person you may be thinking of could be a parent, a friend or even your kids. But I promise, God can help that person way more than you can.
Pray for them, be there for them where and when you can, but ultimately, practice the infamous saying,
