You Know Who – Andrew Wilkes

We all have that one person that we struggle with. To someone else, WE are that one person…

All of us have that one person in our life that is so difficult to put up with. Their attitude, personality, or actions stir up energy-sapping frustration, soul bitterness, rotten jealousy, and other ungodly feelings and thoughts. When that person’s actions or words cause me to feel these damaging things, I must open my heart to God and ask Him why I am acting this way and feeling these things. I must lay myself down on the altar for surgery on MY heart.

This is when the Holy Spirit is allowed to work deeply in me. Instead of a “righteous” attitude, I see my own rotting corruption and sinfulness. This moves me from arrogant frustration to lowly humility before my King; I’m the one with issues. This is grace’s territory. God’s grace will not allow me to remain proud but makes me personally broken. And brokenness before God is a much sweeter land to live in than the deadly pits of bitterness.

This posture change doesn’t mean they’re right. It doesn’t mean they haven’t sinned. It just moves ME to a place where I am right with God and can live by the life of Jesus. It doesn’t matter if the person ever knew I was struggling to begin with; God knew my heart. Now I can be shown by the Holy Spirit how to think and act correctly according to His thoughts and actions. Now I can be empowered by grace to live a holy life.

We all have that one person that we struggle with. To someone else, WE are that one person…what a sobering thought!

This is why grace is so important. The law never cut this deep.

Titus 2:11–13 (ESV): For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.