Words Hurt

Today's Reading: Genesis 12 & Luke 4

Scripture:
"And the one who curses you I will curse." Genesis 12:3

Observation:
This verse contains God's promise of protection to Abram. The use of the word curse here means to treat lightly, despise, or treat with contempt.

God's promise to Abram was to be with him and to protect Him. He would be his defender. All Abram had to do was walk with Him. In this passage God reveals to us what happens when Abram tries to protect himself and in doing so he reminds me of the wounds I inflict when I try to protect myself from the hurtful words of another.

Application:
It is easy to take a word like "curse" and get it confused. I often think of curse as a voodoo type ceremony where a person dressed in black cooks up a strange concoction designed to inflict mystical challenges to the intended target. That is the base definition I have of the word so when I see it my mind automatically goes to that and I easily blow past it.

But as I slow down and pay attention to what God is saying to me this morning I, I see the word and its message differently.
Curse can be defined as: to treat lightly, to despise, and to treat with contempt. When I look at those three components of this word, I realize just how much time I spend in battles based on them.

I am a young leader, so people often treat me lightly or try to dismiss me because of my age. When this happens it is so hard to not try and convince them that I am right or that I am worthy of their trust. It is so difficult to not seek their approval and praise and become angry when I sense that I am being dismissed.

This world is ruled by Satan and as such it hates God. That is a promise and a warning handed down to us from Jesus. I know this, yet when someone despises me I still like to act surprised. It really angers me when someone dislikes me. I first try to appease them and win them back to my side. If that does not work I become enraged and treat them as if they were my enemy. I have gotten myself in a ton of trouble over this thing. Vengeance is not mine to inflict.

People can be cruel. The contempt that humans have towards each other is incredible. Any decision that I make which lands in opposition of what someone wanted almost always ends with someone treating me with contempt. When this happens, it hurts. In my moments of hurt, I often make bad choices. I choose to feel bad about myself. I choose to be offended. I choose to react. I choose to build my case. In short, I often choose to be an idiot right back at them.

Prayer:
Thank You for the ability to laugh at myself. I have been tormented greatly over the past 5 or 6 weeks over the curses of other people. I have allowed them to rule my life, cloud my thoughts and control my emotions. I confess to You this morning that I have been wrong. I have sinned in this and repent of that today.

As I study this passage this morning I am reminded that the only thing that matters is whether or not I am walking with You. If I am walking in obedience to Your will for my life, it becomes Your life to defend. I pray today that You guide me on how to resolve this issue. I am totally powerless. All it will take is one encounter where I feel like I am treated lightly, despised or treated with contempt and I will fall right back into defending myself.

Slow me down today and speak loudly to me. Help me to know that You are there. Help me clearly see Your path before me. Strengthen me to say no to things that would remove Your protection from me. Deliver me from situations that would rob me of Your presence. And when adversity attacks me in the form of curses from another, I pray that you help me stay out of trying to protect or defend myself. My life is not mine to control or defend. I release both of those things to You today.