"They Hurt My Feelings!"

These words have echoed through my heart at times. It happens to the best of us. Often our expectations of people are deflated and we are brought back to reality. Things happen and for one reason or another, our feelings are hurt. So I want to share with you something I have to constantly remind myself of when it comes to interaction with family, friends, work associates, wait staff, retail cashiers, etc..... What you have to remember is that "what people say to you has more to do with them than it does with you!" When someone is short, nasty, hostile and degrading, it stems from something rooted in them and quite often has nothing to do with you! This is such an important point of purposed focus! Often we fall right into the trap of reacting to this nonsense and it really is just them highlighting a need, deficiency or hurt of their own. You may have heard the saying before, "Hurt people, hurt people."

It rings at timeless truth. So make up your mind along with me. We won't be quick to speak and get angry. We will be quick to listen [James 1:19]. We will step back from toxic conversations and encounters and see it for what it is. We are not required to react with haste or defend ourselves against nonsense that stems from a root of bitterness in someone else's heart. We are stronger than that, we are wiser than that. We are a generation who is better than that. We won't be defined by labels or stereotypes or drama. We will guard our hearts and in turn, guard our mouths. We will speak life in the midst of every storm and take every opportunity to show love to those who intend to provoke us or hurt our feelings. We will be strategic with the time and resources God has blessed us with and will use this focus to add to the legacy we will leave to our children.
If you have had your feelings hurt lately, forgive them. Turn your cares over to the one who cares for you [1 Peter 5:7] and know that it has more to do with them than it does with you.