Extra Grace Required....(EGR)

I don't know about you, but I have a really hard time with difficult people. It's hard to act out or live out God's word. My fragrance is not attractive for people to be around including my family and friends. I have a tendancy of wanting to just write that person off and say "I don't need that in my life. Or to just block out what is really happening" But it is not that easy to do when that difficult person is in your extended family. It's during these times that I have had more thorns showing thru instead of lovely petals with fragrance. Why did Jesus have to say "love your enemies?" Maybe it's because He knew it was not in our nature to do it naturally. A longing doesn't just come over me to pray for those who frustrate me to no end. I want to position myself as far from that person as physically possible! Occassionally I can get so worked up that I become physically sick to my stomach. It's amazing what we can allow our thoughts to do. Believe me I do not claim to have this area conquered by any means. It's a daily, monthly, yearly struggle for me. I say to myself, "Shelley you know better!" "You have been a Christian how long?" Or "how can you say you love God and still behave this way?" I believe this area will be a work in progress until the day I go to be with the Lord. The truth of it is, that God loves that EGR (Extra Grace Required) just as much as He loves me. To Him, I am sure he sees me as an EGR sometimes too! Jesus died for each of us and He does not want me to ask him to choose. Just like I love both of my sons the same. There is nothing that they can do to cause me to love one more than the other. How much more with God? He loves us all the same! Lord, help me to humble myself. Help me to see others as you see them. Give me strength to deal with those situations that appear and seem sometimes too difficult for me to handle. Help me to "grow up" in this area. I offer up those people to you that I sometimes get all worked up about. I know you care about those things that causes me concern. I know your word says in Romans 12:18 If possible, so ar as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. (New American Standard Version) Lord help me to strive for that! I want your peace in every area of my life! I need you! Everyday I need you! Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me. That's my prayer. In your precious name, Amen