Somebody enjoys seeing you struggle. Somebody is ecstatic over the fact that you’ve lost everything. Somebody finds joy in seeing the stress on your face. Somebody is hoping that when they get up in the morning, you don’t. Sitting around scrolling through your social media accounts just to see if today will be the day you fall and won’t get up. They text with “I’ve been thinking about you,” and they have just not for the good. They show up when they hear something has happened to you simply to see if you’re really hurt, this time. Somebody, right now, is clicking like on your status when in fact, they can’t stand you and anybody connected to you. If I can be honest with you, it’s some folk who show up to your celebration just to see if they’ll catch a frown on your face. Because if they do, it’ll make them feel better by saying, “I told you they weren’t happy.” Beloved, there is folk who are waiting for you to miss a Sunday from worship so they can tell folks there’s trouble in paradise. Miss a day posting a selfie and they’ll swear you’re depressed and suicidal. Go out and have a drink with your girls and they’ll start saying your marriage is in trouble. Cry at the altar and they can’t wait to text and tell somebody.
Well chile, if you want to know how to beat them at their game, here’s the answer … Don’t look like what you’re going through! See, when you smile instead of showing signs of stress, it’ll confuse them. When you show up instead of wallowing in your pit of sorrow, they don’t know how to respond. When you hug them instead of slapping the hell out of them, it catches them off guard. When you show up to preach and you do so with power, they don’t have time to react. When you still teach bible study with 4 folk, the enemy leaves scratching his head. Baby, when you don’t look like what you’re going through, those same folk will sit somewhere trying to figure out how you’re still alive. When you don’t look like what you’re going through, those same folk won’t have any choice but to serve who you do. When you don’t look like what you’re going through, the same ones fighting you, will now fight for you. When you don’t look like what you’re going through, the same folk speaking on you, will speak up for you. You don’t have to fight them, love them instead. Instead of getting even, get elevated. For the bible says in Proverbs 16:7, “When people’s lives please the LORD, even their enemies are at peace with them.”
Lakisha, the Author 