Hater

A hater is someone who is jealous and envious and spends all their time trying to make you look small so they can look tall.

They are very negative people to say the least. Nothing is ever good enough!

When you make your mark, you will always attract some haters…

That’s why you have to be careful with whom you share your blessings and your dreams, because some folk can’t handle seeing you blessed…

It’s dangerous to be like somebody else… If God wanted you to be like somebody else, He would have given you what He gave them! Right?

You never know what people have gone through to get what they have…

The problem I have with haters is that they see my glory, but they don’t know my story…

If the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, you can rest assured that the water bill is higher there too!

We’ve all got some haters among us!

Some people envy you because you can:
a) Have a relationship with God
b) Light up a room when you walk in
c) Start your own business
d) Tell a man / woman to hit the curb (if he / she isn’t about the right thing)
e) Raise your children without both parents being in the home

Haters can’t stand to see you happy.
Haters will never want to see you succeed.

Most of our haters are people who are supposed to be on our side.

How do you handle your undercover haters?

You can handle these haters by:

1. Knowing who you are & who your true friends are *(VERY IMPORTANT!!)

2. Having a purpose to your life: Purpose does not mean having a job. You can have a job and still be unfulfilled.

A purpose is having a clear sense of what God has called you to be. Your purpose is not defined by what others think about you.

3. By remembering what you have is by divine prerogative and not human manipulation.

Fulfill your dreams! You only have one life to live…when its your time to leave this earth, you ‘want’ to be able to say, ‘I’ve lived my life and fulfilled ‘my’ dreams,… Now I’m ready to go HOME!

When God gives you favor, you can tell your haters, ‘Don’t look at me…Look at Who is in charge of me…’

Pass this to all of your family & friends who you know are not hating on you including the person who sent it to you.

If you don’t get it back, maybe you called somebody out!

Don’t worry about it, it’s not your problem, it’s theirs..Just pray for them, that their life can be as fulfilled as yours! Watch out for Haters…BUT most of all don’t become a HATER!

‘A woman’s heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.’

Maya Angelou

JOY SUCKERS — DEALING WITH THE TOUGH ONES!

Dealing with the “tough stuff” can often cause you to wonder if the God who calls you really understands the challenges you are facing … and then, of course you remember, He is God and knows.

If you have been in ministry very long, you will soon run head-on into the “joy suckers.” I talk about the “joy suckers” challenge in many of my speaking assignments because, I believe, if you don’t learn how to endure and survive the “joy suckers,” you stand a good chance of becoming a calloused pastor or a recluse. Neither one are good characteristics for a shepherd.

A “joy sucker” is someone who is determined to create either discouragement or hardship on your ministry. “Joy suckers” take on all shapes and sizes, but, most often, they are negative in their outlook, disappointed with their family, in need of attention or enamored with their own power. Somewhere along the way, they have been allowed to get away with unacceptable behavior. Because they are not happy people, they are determined that others should not be happy either. So, they are critical, fault-finding and contentious. Close your eyes for a minute, and you will see every “joy sucker” you have ever served. Painful, isn’t it?

If you have seven or eight “joy suckers” in a small- to medium-size congregation, it can cause the fellowship to become dysfunctional as well. So, how do you deal with the “tough stuff” that can make the strongest pastor flinch?

a) You attempt to understand what is the cause of the negative spirit — why do they act the way they do?
b) You consider their family situation.
c) You gauge their level of spirituality.
d) You monitor their influence in your church (Is there a big family connection?).
e) Have you done all you can to talk through the concern with that person?
f) Do you pray for them?
g) Do they have a history of this kind of behavior?
h) What will it cost you to “confront” them?
i) Does leadership understand your challenge?
j) Is the contention severe enough that it renders your ministry ineffective?

Wow! Every church has “joy suckers,” and we all must develop our own method of dealing with them. If you let them run free, your church will never be all that God had intended.

“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2).

Be blessed and be a blessing. —HB London