8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our bodies. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:8-10
Something I learned a few years ago and have been putting into practice lately is not to waste my energy on people who don’t deserve it. It sounds cold and heartless, but here’s what I mean. People will take advantage of you, use you, pretend to be your friend, and even tell you how much they love you, but then throw you away without a second thought. For no reason at all. These kinds of people don’t deserve the energy and time it takes to mourn the loss of them from your life. People who don’t care about you should never consume your life to the point where their rejection causes you to lose your joy, laughter, and enjoyment of life.
Put your energy into people who genuinely love you. Does that mean you abandon people who do not love you? No. Absolutely not. You always help those in need, whether they love you or not. Whether they hate you or not. Whether they curse you, say all manner of evil about you, and lie about you to others. It doesn’t matter how they treat you; you are to help them if they ask and you are able to.
We don’t return railing for railing. Wrath for wrath. Hate for hate, but neither do we allow people’s opinions of us to bring us down. Their treatment of us to steal our joy. Or their lies about us to consume our thoughts. How the world treats you is no different than how the world has always treated the people of God. With hatred for those who are of the world hate the Light, and the Light now abides in us and shines through us. So, it hates us. It speaks all manner of evil against us, but we will overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. We love, even though they may hate us. That is the difference between us and them. We love at all times.
43 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:43-45)
9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (1 Peter 3:9)
We just don’t allow ourselves to be hurt, damaged, or destroyed because of them.
Peace. Love. Go Forth and Don’t Waste Your Energy On Them.