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Bullies usually consider themselves pretty clever, preying on whom they see as weaker in some way. What they fail to realize is that the majority of people view them quite differently than they view themselves, and the truth of their actions is usually transparent for all to see. Bullies also tend to band together in small groups, congratulating each other for being king of the hill. What bullies fail to realize is that the hill they occupy is a volcano, and the rest of us are wise enough to stay off of it because we know it will eventually erupt. We understand that it’s not smart to even be on that hill, let alone fight over it.
Bullies also don’t recognize that they pay a price every single day for the choices they have made. Aside from their inner turmoil, their loud and obnoxious behavior costs them support and opportunities because it broadcasts their flaws and makes good people want to stay away. People who try to disrupt, demean, and discourage others are advertising that they have inner demons they haven’t dealt with yet. Understanding that you’re not going to build your destiny without encountering some resistance is about 80% of the battle towards successfully withstanding it when it happens. The rest is skill and stamina.
Remember that God sees and hears everything that is being said about you and done to you. When you do what’s right, you put yourself in a position to be even more blessed than before. But for those who are doing what’s wrong, they put themselves in a compromised position that creates bad outcomes. All we have to do to confirm there is evil in the world is turn on the news. Sometimes evil seems to win, at least temporarily. I can’t explain it, but what I can do is share my belief that God can bring some measure of good from the bad things that do happen. It doesn’t change the event, it doesn’t fix the wrong, but salvaging whatever we have left is sometimes all we’ve got. If this is your situation, take heart. Maybe, just maybe, it’s possible for you to rise above the trauma and get your life back. God can turn tragedy into triumph, if we let Him. No it isn’t easy, and no it isn’t fair, but it is possible.
Until next time, I’ll be praying for you to contemplate in advance the resistance you might encounter, and craft a strategy for dealing with it in a healthy, effective way.