Punch Back with Prayer

Bully:  a blustering, browbeating person; one who is habitually cruel, insulting, or threatening to others who are weaker, smaller, or in some way vulnerable.

I recently sat next to about 300 children at a convention.  We danced, sang, played countless games, laughed and learned about our God.  The room was loud, chaotic, full of energy and fun.  The room provided safety, love and peace amongst loud.  Led by the exhausted older generation, these children appeared to enjoy every minute of the day (minus a few arguments and parent-sickness here and there). 

One afternoon session centered around bully solutions.  The video described a few scenarios pertaining to bully behavior, then a solution.  Punch back with PRAYER.  Pray for your enemies.  Ask God to bless them and show them the light of Jesus. 

I encountered lots of moments in life where my flaws were used to create a joke for all to laugh.  Here and there little remarks built a definition in my mind of what I ought NOT to be.  These jokes revealed the changes that must take place to survive this world.  I never received a blow to the face, tormenting that I see now amongst children or 24/7 berating over social media.  Kids nowadays cannot leave the bully at school anymore.  The physical and emotional abuse taking place every day breaks my heart. 

The physical presents in outward injury.  The emotional presents in inward torment and pain.  I experienced the latter.  Years passed, the comments lessened as I hid from socializing and people moved on with life.  I, on the other hand, built a mighty shell around my heart filled with lies.  The lies formed beliefs.  The beliefs solidified.

There you have it, a thick protection around a heart consumed with worldly view, opinions, insults and torment.  Years, I worked diligently to ignore the painful words that my heart continually messaged to my thoughts.  Years, I hid behind a hard layer of fake happiness.  Years, I ran from the bullies in this world; yet, constantly faced the same one every moment of every day!

The bully I faced could not be defeated.  The bully held too much power, too many deceiving words and too many years of evidence to back up the lies.  The bully stared me right in the face and explained my lack of value in this world. 

The bully was/is me!  Blustering – speaking lies including lack of skill, assurance of failure, unworthy presence in the world.  Browbeating – constant negative words flooding my thoughts, shouting lines heard growing up.  Habitual cruelty – every time I walk into a room, my bully ranks my worth compared to others present; my bully takes disappointment from loved ones and uses that against me.  Insulting – yes, daily.  A threat – yes, stealing the joy meant for that moment!

Overtime, the lies have diminished, the battle lessened and joy filters into the day.  Overtime, I found Someone amongst the thicket of life Whose words sounded sweeter than any ever heard.  He extended a hand, broke the thick shell and began reconstruction of a shredded heart.  He spoke Truth explaining the skills instilled in the womb, assurance of peace among the failures and the beauty in worth consuming His Child.  He constantly spoke positive, encouraging words for every situation.  He explained ranking does not exist amongst His Children – He loves them all the same and finds beauty in all creation, ranking it VERY GOOD!  He provides only joy, peace, love and comfort along the treacherous path of life. 

He defeats my bully every day (more than once a day)!  He was/is/and is to come!  He is our Savior.  He looked at me before deciding to send me here and said, “That one:  she’s perfect for the job.”  He saved me (physically, emotionally and spiritually) for some reason.  As I dwell on the why. . .He keeps working it all out! 

The same is for you my dear friend.  Squash the bullies in life with Truth.  Overflow your thoughts with His Word so nothing heard this side of Heaven can override.  Punch your bully back with PRAYER!  It is in prayer, you will find God waits to speak over the lies, heal the injuries and walk alongside protecting you. 

Live life. . .One Day at a time! 

Sheree Craig