A few years ago I met this girl who annoyed me by merely her existence. She rubbed me the wrong way because well, I wasn’t fond of her personality.
Little did I know that this situation would teach me how to pray for someone I clearly disliked. I have never prayed this much for someone I didn’t even want to be friends with. My negative feelings and thoughts toward her weighed me down. I didn’t like myself when she’s around. One day, I asked the Lord for a chance to get to know her better. He answered swiftly. I was at the front row when she was sharing at a gathering not knowing that she’d be one of the sharers.
I cried after her sharing because I felt the Lord is telling me, “You want to be better so here’s your chance. Listen well”. Though she didn’t do anything different to change how I feel towards her, I was beginning to understand her more. So I continued to find ways to get to know her more and more and more. Little by little I discovered her humanity, her strengths and weaknesses, and what made her the way she is. Now I know. With God’s loving grace, I found myself accepting her for everything she is, even the ones I disliked in the first place. I appreciated her kind heart.
Now, whenever I see her, I thank God for teaching me the virtue of forbearance but most especially, for an unlikely friend who taught me how to pray for people I had difficulty understanding and loving. Sometimes, we reject and dislike what we do not quite know but we must work to courageously love first before we decide to throw anything or anyone away.
Considered a blessing that it is a continuous cycle and bout of attempt and victory as it truly is a beautiful opportunity to be more like Jesus Christ, the ultimate manifestation of love.
Lord, may I never forget to be more like You and may You continue to give my heart and mind the courage to look for the good, the best in a person before zooming in on the bad. Amen.
Trying,
Alodia