Is there need to be worried

DamianWarS said:

right, let's worry about what's in our eye first

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Yup, but after that, we still need to deal with the person.

vlisco said:

Hello guys,
Pls advise.
I'm avoiding someone I used to be cool with because he's knowingly or unknowingly getting on my nerves.. He's actions come across as teasing.. And I just want to pretend I'm not offended by not talking to him.
Now the problem is the devil is trying to make me feel guilty, condemned and unable to pray.. He keeps lieing to me that I'm not worthy to pray or or anything from God bcos of that dude I'm ignoring ...I need peace of mind to seek my God in prayer
How do. I shut him up..

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I would say to approach this with grace and love.
Tell him that his comments are not cool and if he keeps it up, you two cannot remain friends. Then gracefully step out of the friendship if he continues to “tease”.
If you find yourself unable to pray for yourself, you can also try to pray for the friend that you speak of.

vlisco said:

Hello guys,
Pls advise.
I'm avoiding someone I used to be cool with because he's knowingly or unknowingly getting on my nerves.. He's actions come across as teasing.. And I just want to pretend I'm not offended by not talking to him.
Now the problem is the devil is trying to make me feel guilty, condemned and unable to pray.. He keeps lieing to me that I'm not worthy to pray or or anything from God bcos of that dude I'm ignoring ...I need peace of mind to seek my God in prayer
How do. I shut him up..

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Just do what Jesus did when He was being tempted: use the Word to come against him. Use the verse the other brother used and say It is written, there is therefore now no condemnation...or, It is written, you are a liar and the father of all lies. If you resist him he will flee.

vlisco said:

I don't Want to come across as clingy . I'm actually comfortable this way.. It's just that I feel condemning voices that hinders me from praying

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Whenever something similar happens to me, I explain myself and actions to God in prayers. This usually takes away those guilt feelings and also makes me feel better.

vlisco said:

He's not

He's not Talking to me either.. And does things to show he doesn't care

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This I recognized. From experience.

Back when I was still an agnostic, but beginning to more and more feel pulled to read, and then in time, to begin to test the things Christ said, I tested first "love your neighbor as yourself" with my next door neighbors, who were strangers. It was hard to put myself out there. But I was determined to test what Jesus said.

So I did, and the results for me were very amazing, against my expectations. I gained friends, and soon a new best friend, someone invited also to a party in one of those neighbors' houses, who became easily the best friend of my life, which is saying something since I'd had very close friends in high school already.

So, it was a spectacular and surprising outcome, and I tested it again later in another place, and the outcome was again surprisingly good.

And I tested "forgive not just seven times but seventy times seven" and that was good.

...

So it began to create an even stronger pull on me (or the pull got stronger).

So I decided after some years to test the most radical and impossible one of all, that I felt sure was just optimism on Jesus's part, like from an idealistic day.

And would not likely work much.

I thought.

But I tested. With a long term thorn in my side, real enemy, the only one I'd had in adulthood, and had had for many years.
He was a person that as you wrote (among other things) --

"And does things to show he doesn't care"

That, yes, and worse also. He would make a point of getting attention from others away from me, and also acting like I was a noone, a person to be ignored or even avoided (which no one else ever did), etc.

So, real enemy.

It took every ounce of courage and daring and willingness to be humiliated I had (because I was not yet in faith, and not yet praying as Christ said, and not yet looking to Christ....)

I acted with love towards him, real love. I mean actual, real. It was effortful to even prepare. I had to see him, focus, mediate for several minutes intensely on him as just some victim of his own past, only another person, a victim instead of a clear criminal, and squeeze up some sympathy.

It took imagination, determination.

But I did, for at least 10 seconds face to face, talking to him as you would to a friend that you love. And it wasn't fake, but instead it was an act of extremely effortful sympathy and willingness to see only the best and it was full of hope.

I was pretty far out on a limb.

He just reacted with surprise, staring at me, and was silent.

After a few seconds of total silence (and he was not the silent type, but the opposite), he turned and left.

I thought, "whew! I'm glad that's over."

It was a relief to make it into my car, because my legs felt weak, and I didn't want to be trembling in front of people.

Ok, got the scene?

So, what happened?

Here's what happened -- to my total surprise and shock, he became warm to me, and I didn't have more to give, so I was barely responsive, with a weak smile. But instead of giving up, he continued to be warm and friendly. Until, finally, after several times, I began to have a slight trust towards him, and be able to act friendly back. Soon we became friends.

That's right.

I live in a different city and that was long ago, but I'm confident if we met each other again by chance, we'd both break out in a big smile and come quickly together, with watering eyes, and happiness.

That's how it feels now, about my enemy (or was-enemy).

Now, it could be I had divine help here. But the thing is, we can pray for help, now.

And to love an enemy now, I don't feel I have to try as hard, because now I am more often focused on Christ usually, and that's a gigantic difference vs trying to do it without Him.

It depends on your reason for choosing to avoid him in lieu of confronting him.

If you do not wish to continue the friendship with him but want to depart peacefully, there is no reason to confront him. You should confront him if you want to continue the friendship and you need his behavior to change in order for that to happen.

If he is someone who is likely to escalate upon confrontation, it is safe not to confront. But if you think he is a reasonable person, you may want to talk to him.

vlisco said:

Hello guys,
Pls advise.
I'm avoiding someone I used to be cool with because he's knowingly or unknowingly getting on my nerves.. He's actions come across as teasing.. And I just want to pretend I'm not offended by not talking to him.
Now the problem is the devil is trying to make me feel guilty, condemned and unable to pray.. He keeps lieing to me that I'm not worthy to pray or or anything from God bcos of that dude I'm ignoring ...I need peace of mind to seek my God in prayer
How do. I shut him up..

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Hi, I have had a similar problem and the guilt was more than I could handle! I spoke with someone who introduced me to the Christian book, 'Boundaries' by Dr. Cloud and Dr. Townsend. This book changed my life! I cannot express the freedom I found in God's Word through this biblically based book on how to live free of guilt. I hope you will pick up a copy or download it today.

CassieShannon said:

Hi, I have had a similar problem and the guilt was more than I could handle! I spoke with someone who introduced me to the Christian book, 'Boundaries' by Dr. Cloud and Dr. Townsend. This book changed my life! I cannot express the freedom I found in God's Word through this biblically based book on how to live free of guilt. I hope you will pick up a copy or download it today.

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Thanks for the reminder : ). Sometimes the enemy uses guilt to keep us in a toxic relationship.