Ep 276 How to Deal With Difficult People Without Moving to Australia with Sue Donaldson

I love people. Especially the loveable ones. I think I love people well until I come across a difficult person.

Maybe you also keep a private list of those who-best-not-be-named, and pray you never see again. Even worse: you work alongside of them. Or much, much worse: you’re related to them. The funny thing is none of our secrets are secret to God. The other funny thing is He’s got a plan for how we deal with our difficult people.

What can we do? Pretend they don’t bother us? Change locations? Speak the truth in love and the truth is: we don’t like them and we would love it if they left us alone? It’s not convenient to move to Australia to join Alexander on his no-good-very-bad day caused by a no-good, not-so-pleasant, irritating person. But it doesn’t stop us wishing we could be on the next plane.

Today we talk about

WHAT MAKES A DIFFICULT PERSON DIFFICULT?

DEGREES OF DIFFICULTY—DO THEY MATTER?

SIMPLE PRACTICES TO HELP US WITH OUR DIFFICULT PEOPLE

Keeping my mouth shut is usually a good idea.

Some thoughts:

You’ve heard the expression, “Hurt people hurt people.” I forget that fact when I’m the object of that hurt.

When difficult people lash out, I want to listen with my heart, not just my ears, and think: I wonder what’s going on to make her act that way? Was there something in his past that’s causing this behavior?

Cultivating a grown-up relationship with your most beloved may include painstaking prayers for wisdom and love, timing and tone.