Are you struggling with hater-on-my-back-itis? Has backbiting, flat out lies and negativity poisoned your environment? Look no further than the word of God and fear not, or should I say fret not according to Psalm 37. For the purposes of this post we will refer to this particular chapter as the Haters Survival Guide. Written by none other than David, having survived spears at the hand of Saul and treason in the betrayal of his son Absolm, none else could be more qualified.
Have No Fear! There is No Actual Threat Here!
In 2018 we may not have someone trying to run us through or dethrone our home but on any level it can be difficult when someone has chosen you to be the recipient of their hostility. That’s why Psalm 37 starts of with a very take a deep breath kind of vibe. Psalm 37:1 says not to fret because of those who are evil. When I looked up the word fret I saw that part of the definition is described as slowly wearing away at something. Meditating on your haters and all they have to say can wear down your confidence and erode your perspective of Gods actual favor on your life. I took the phrase “do not” as a comfort instead of a command. The same way a parent may tell their child not to be afraid of the shadows they may see in their room at night. Our haters are no actual threat to us. Actually Psalm 37:2 compares them to grass. Grass can grow up quickly and seems to be everywhere but, just a quickly it can be cut down and withered away. That is the effectiveness and longevity of lies spoken by those who choose to plot against the people of God.
Trust God
So where do we go from here? According to the guide we start by trusting God. One of the most difficult tempting paths to take when dealing with a hater is to defend yourself. Trusting God do be your defender and laying down weapons like Facebook and Twitter allows us to take the higher ground and ensures our road to victory. Once you get the whole trusting God thing down it really makes the next part a lot easier. Do good. When David prayed for victory over his enemies he plea’s came nothing short of total death and destruction. Although this may be tempting we, being under the new covenant, have a different standard and expectation. Ephesians 6:12 opens our eyes to the true enemy, satan, and his lies. The first part of doing good is to love and pray for the people that come against you. I think hater is a good word for them because the word enemy implies that you are in a two sided war. Someone may choose to be your hater be you we do not have to respond as their enemy. Don’t fight fire with fire. Fight each war on bended knee. Do good. Do your job, run your home, manage your life with excellence and trust God to be your defense. Sometimes the Lord may lead you to pray and step aside and allow him to move on your behalf. Sometimes the Lord my give you the boldness and wisdom on how to handle that person in the right way.
Switch Your Focus
Ok, so your trusting God and praying for them and operating in excellence, what now? Doing your best at all of these things does no take the sting out of their words and actions. That is when we need to shift our focus. Psalm 37:4 tells us that we should delight ourselves in the Lord. We have to spend our time focused on God’s goodness. When you set your thoughts on something its like you are
putting a magnifying glass on that subject. The more you mow it over the more you see and understand the details. It’s one of the reasons us women can decide that we are actually upset about a comment hours after we hear it. The enemy wants to use negativity as a distraction. He uses underhanded comments and flat out lies to plant seeds of insecurity and keeps us from being able to see the people around us the same way God see’s them. God wants for everyone to be whole, healed, and in his kingdom. I don’t mean in some hater ward where they can be safely separated from the more positive population. While the enemy is hoping that your hater will give him access to your faith and your emotions. God is looking for you to open doors by partnering with him in prayer to see absolute victory in their lives.
I wish I could say it was this simple however this system falls into the easier said then done category. Practice makes perfect, and when we choose to do things God’s way victory is always on the other side!
Journey To A Virtuous Woman 