Manipulation Bug – Reina Beaty

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It’s interesting how life offers us opportunities to be good or bad towards other people. Whether people act right or wrong towards us, it’s our choice to know how to handle them. Since time in memorial, nobody liked the idea of being deceived, everybody hopes and desires to meet genuine people in life.But before we expect good and productive relationships, we must learn to do a self-check, of who we really are.

What are we willing to offer other people, before we receive what they are giving us where relationships are concerned?

In the book of Genesis we have different scenarios where deception was rampant; Laban deceived His own nephew Jacob by substituting his daughter Leah for Rachel on the night of their consummation. Instead of working seven years to have Rachel, Jacob had to work for 14 years to have her. Rebekah and Jacob devise an elaborate plot to ensure that he receives Esau birth right from Isaac. To crown it all Laban cheats Jacob by habitually changing the terms of their contract agreement to suit him. Jacob complains how Laban his own uncle,has changed his wages ten times. These selfish actions birthed deception and manipulation which only caused a lot of pain and bitterness to other innocent people. I believe some reading this blog have meet people, who are self-centered and the only thing which matters to these people is about themselves right!!In the New Testament, Jesus spoke of how we must love one another and that’s the way we must live as believers. Reflecting on how Jesus recruited His team of 12 disciples, it’s very interesting to learn,He never settled for everybody, He hand-picked them. This needs to apply to us also

You must love everybody but not everybody must be in your friendship circle, it’s as simple as that.

One thing I have come to realize, people who like using manipulation to have their way, are usually insecure, selfish and cunning. We must have our eyes wide open to see such traits and good brains to know how to handle them. If you know you possess such traits, and along the way you have hurt people who loved you,you need to ask God to change you to be a better person. On the other hand People who end up being manipulated, it’s a result of being too naïve or they don’t actually believe in themselves, which results to them being vulnerable to manipulation.

Hey! Don’t allow opinions from other people define you? Let God be the center of your life, nobody in the face of the earth has the right to control you??

You must learn to control your own decisions and actions. God knows the intentions of our hearts; we can’t hide that from Him??? Sow good seeds of loyalty and honesty towards people and you will eventually reap a harvest of Loyalty and genuine friendships. Some of you may have carried offense towards a person who manipulated you, but all that is a waste of your precious heart.

Two wrongs never made a right. Learn to hit the NEXT BUTTON in life, you can’t stick in one place wallowing

Ways to deal with the Bug known as Manipulation:-

1)Don’t go telling everyonehow so and so hurt you,that will only make you feel worse.Turn the whole situation to God and let Him sort it out. God alone has the ability to give you peace and help you not to hold any offense.

2) Ask God to connect you with genuine people

3) Sow seeds of loyalty towards people-don’t be disloyal to others because one person was disloyal to you.

4) Forgive quickly and let go quickly.

4) Don’t be too naïve.

5) Acknowledge your real identity in Christ

6) Learn to Guard your heart