Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – October 6, 2018
Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended. Proverbs 22:10
Are you consumed by conflict with someone at work or in a personal relationship? Have you tried to appease them, confront them, and pray for them to no avail? Unfortunately, no amount of cajoling or arguing can change the heart of a mocker. Until this person comes face-to-face with brokenness from God, he or she will not truly change for Christ’s sake.
Like a lease or mortgage creates financial overhead, so does a person intent on disrupting the culture of a company or a family. Mockers are made up of insecure individuals full of a grandiose self-image. Pride and jealousy drive them to discredit anyone who gets in the way of their man-made agenda. Mockers angrily attack even the most loving heart.
“Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse” (Proverbs 9:7).
It is not worth carrying this type of emotional overhead on the books of your brain. You wake up in the middle of the night fearful of what may happen next if you do not walk the fine line of pleasing this person at work. Your preoccupation with meeting his or her expectations has caused you to neglect other important relationships. Continual drama from the same source is a recipe for confusion and contempt from the team.
“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers” (Psalm 1:1).
After confronting a mocker, things very likely will get worse. It is because a scorner does not receive a rebuke or seek wisdom. “A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise” (Proverbs 15:12). Some relationships are a black hole of wasted time and energy. You may have to make the bold move to remove this person before his or her path of destruction continues its course. Let the disloyal go for the sake of the loyal whole.
You can still pray for those who are mockers and love them from a distance. Indeed, overwhelming emotional overhead is not a cost you can afford with your own emotional budget. Yes, we bear the burdens of those who are broken before God, but not those trying to break others. The Lord extends His grace to the humble, but mocks the proud who are consumed in their mockery.
“He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble” (Proverbs 3:34).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, give me the courage to confront someone who is causing division at home, work, with extended family and friends, in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
Whom in my life do I need to let go of for the sake of the whole?
Related Reading
2 Kings 16:3; Job 17:2; Isaiah 29:20; Mark 9:28–29; 1 John 4:18
Taken from Seeking Daily the Heart of God v.2
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Bear the burdens of those who are broken before God, but not those trying to break others. #WisdomHunters #emotionaloverhead
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I have confronted, spoken to, begged, given word pictures, pleaded, prayed for, hoped for, left, came back under the guise he was delivered/set free; only for him to return to the same behavior over and over and over.
I have gone to 3 counselors, 3 pastors, 1 elders and a close friend of his—He doesn’t listen. Most don’t want to get involved. 1 Counselor was afraid to confront him, concerned he would quit coming to the sessions. He eventually stopped going when the truth of his behavior was more than he could handle.
Right now, he has just about finished a weekend retreat, with the men of his church. Yes, he is a professing so-called Christian; with despicable controlling behavior behind closed doors, that no-one sees; except for us.
He refuses to leave and I have nowhere to go. I homeschool and need my house with all my resources to properly teach, esp my high schooler. This is her senior year and it’s critical for her to get her credits. Most of all to keep confrontation to a minimum–this is so hard b/c he loves strife/quarreling/raging temper tantrums. It’s like he’s addicted to those things.
I know hurting people hurt people. I believe something horrible happened to him when he was younger, but he says, “Nope! nothing and stop asking!”
Please pray he will be broken/real/repentive before God, Fall in Love with Jesus and live to GLORIFY HIM in ALL he does and says~ then stay that way. Not perfect but not mean!
Dear friend,
I read your comments a few times over and my heart hurts for you. I am sorry that you are dealing with these challenges but I am so, so very thankful that you know our Heavenly Father and can lean on Him in the times of hardship. I wish I had some words of wisdom for you but as I am not a counselor, I would not provide the help you need. However, I can pray and so can our Wisdom Hunter’s team and that is just what we will do! We will pray for you, for your husband and your children in the days ahead.
I hope you find comfort in that and know that as we go to the Throne on your behalf, your God loves you and is walking beside you. He also loves your husband and feels his pain and unhappiness.
Please keep in touch with us and let us know how you are. My email is gwynne@wisdomhunters.com and I would love to hear from you. If there are specific prayer requests (other than what I mentioned), please let me know in the email.
Rejoicing in the Father who hears all of our prayers,
Gwynne
“Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”
Psalm 62:8
“And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5