Stop Pushing For People That Try to Pull You Down

"Sometimes you have to give up on people. Everyone in your journey is meant to be in your journey, but not everyone is meant to stay there."

As simple as that quote may be to read, many of us fail to truly receive it. Far too often we don't realize until it's too late that part of the reason we feel like we’re going nowhere fast is because not everyone and everything around us wants us to move forward. It's important that we pay attention, listen closely, and discern which people and mindsets are helping us push through and which are acting as dead weight and keeping their feet down.

If someone’s objective is to keep us from reaching our destination and their happiness comes from seeing us suffer to overcome, we shouldn't hesitate to drop them off at the next exit. The same approach applies to our own toxic traits, skewed mindsets, and immaturity. Not everyone and everything can go where we’re going, and if we don't catch our heads and figure out who those people and influences are; we won't make it there either.

Oh, how the wolves love strutting in sheep’s clothing. Funny how the ones that lift us up in public are also the ones that tear us down in private. Amazing how the people that sing of our praises when we're succeeding are quick rejoice, jump to conclusions, and spill their tainted tea whenever they finally see us suffering. What a painful yet enlightening lesson it is to watch it all unfold. That’s the bittersweet thing about praying for discernment, guidance, and revelation. God not only opens our eyes to our own personal faults, flaws, and filth but also reveals the motives, influence, and standing of those around us.

Though accepting the need for pruning and polishing in our own hearts can be a hard pill to swallow, it’s discovering our standing in the world and true placement in people’s minds, hearts, and lives that is shocking and oftentimes painful. Real struggles, real pain, and real spiritual warfare has a not so subtle way of exposing fake love, people, and ideals.

Revelation seals the lesson. Understand that though uncomfortable, in most cases, detachment is much more important than defense.

Sometimes the underlying purpose of our problem is to reveal something to us. Instead of falling for the distraction, impulsively lowering ourselves to become defensive, and fighting for people to understand or see our value, more often than not the greater lesson and avenue is to seek discernment and distance. Heed that expiration date before we rot too. Trust and believe that in time all will be revealed, it's all part of the plan, and move on. We don't have to feed into the tactics of destructive people or spirits and we certainly don't need to fuel them by giving them the attention, fear, or energy they so desperately desire.

As long as we’re clapping and entertaining a clown, it will keep the show going. Skip the circus all together. Sometimes we have to let go, sit back, let someone be wrong, and allow people to think we're unaware of their tactics. It sounds crazy, but in actuality that it is oftentimes the best way to see who's with us and who's not. The less time we spend trying to entertain, respond to, or control foolishness and foolish people, the more at peace we become and the more energy we can use to better ourselves. Recognize who's real and who isn't, protect yourself, and move forward.

Nothing and no one is worth coming out of character or alignment for. Anything that will bring pain where there is peace is something we do not want to have in our life. A friendship that is one sided is not a friendship we long for. A person that will drill holes in our boat then pretend to be dumbfounded as they watch us sink is not someone we need at our side. Someone that leaves us open for attack is not an ally. They aren’t with us; they’re roadblocks.

Release it all: the attachment, the tears, and burden of carrying the weight that is no longer ours to carry. Wash our hands of it all and be done with no theatrics, no bashing, no revenge, and no hard feelings. Refuse to put energy into anything that is not real or that we do not want. Covering is key.

I am too old, I have too many great things ahead, I'm in too joyful of a place, and I have too big of a purpose to be worried about if the people around me have my best interest at heart. I fought to love, understand, change, accept, and become the person I am. I may love you, pray for you, and hope that you learn lessons along your way, but the very last thing I'm about to do is fight for someone or something that will hinder my progress.

Not everyone can understand, accept, or go where we're going and not everyone should. If you aren't down to push forward and seek to drain but never replenish, trust and believe that I will pull over and let you out!