One of the greatest adversities of serving God in general is people. It is very ironical that the very thing we exist and must work for in church and ministry is the same thing that stands in our way.

– People will irritate you, fight you, slander you and say all manner of evil against you. If you are not ready for it, you cannot Serve God and people (Matt. 5:11-12).

– Difficult people are everywhere. Don´t be deceived to think your case is peculiar. Beware of them. (Acts. 20:28,30; 2 Timothy 4:10; John 6:70-71).

The important thing is not what is happening to you but what these things are doing in you. Difficult people, opposition from people, will force us to manifest certain attitudes that have draw back effect on our work. How you handle such things will determine whether you will rise or fall.

Avoid being forced into manifesting these negative attitudes

– Anger and Bitterness – Leads to fighting which will eventually ruin ministry. Bitterness and anger will poison your spirit from being effective.
– Withdrawal Symptoms – You blame yourself and not see anything good in yourself. You want to give up or abandon your ministry, or change location because of the challenges people are giving you.
– Murmuring / Complaining Spirit – you get filled with complains and blame the people. The danger here is that the words you speak defeat your own cause, and are damaging even the good ones when they hear them.
– Complaining kills your faith and doesn´t allow you to develop enough strength and resilience within you to carry on your assignment. Never accept in your heart that certain people are spoiling your work by what you perceive they are doing.
– Complaining makes you focus all your attention on the few difficult ones, so you don´t appreciate God for the many good ones around you.
– Complaining and talking kills the enthusiasm of the hearers who can help. It is an indication of lack of faith. Consider how Jesus handled Judas Iscariot. Don´t make them important.

Learn as Christians and members of the Church (The Body of Christ) to love all, remember that you are your brother´s keeper. Remember that, Moses smote the rock twice out of genuine anger to the Israelites for their ungratefulness to God, He was punished for that (Deut. 20:1-12). Watch out for these bad attitudes which can be forced out by what people do to you in you as you serve them.

Keep the Faith
Rev. Edmund