There are verses in Psalm 25 which are especially difficult for me to relate to, because honestly, I don’t see myself as having enemies. After all, I try to get along with and to be kind to everyone. Truly then why would someone be my enemy, and if I have enemies, who are they and how should I respond to them?

So for me, it’s helpful to reframe the word enemies as obstacles or adversaries. I set out to accomplish something I feel is very important, and I encounter people who give me numerous reasons why my idea won’t work. Sometimes this can feel defeating as the writer of Psalm 25 acknowledges in verse 2, crying out; “Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.”

How then might we respond when confronted with obstacles and unhelpful people, or “enemies”? Perhaps some clues lie in other parts of Psalm 25.

One example is verse 9 which says; “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way”. However, my typical inclination is to dig in my heels and to muster my determination along the same path when faced with adversity. But what if instead I were to humble myself so I might fully understand the obstacle or criticism, and then sought God’s guidance for new ideas and direction.

And then there’s verse 10, which says; “All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful”. One way to read this is that God’s ways towards us are loving and faithful, and therefore we can count on God to always be there for us and to treat us in a loving way. But what if God is actually calling us to be loving and faithful in the face of obstacles and in response to our ”enemies”. Perhaps God is guiding us to respond to others in the same way he responds to us, especially when things are not going our way.

When I started my changemaker project I reached out to many people in the government agency I wanted to improve. Originally, I thought they would welcome my ideas with enthusiasm, but unfortunately, the key people were not interested. So, I kept trying to convince them, adjusting my approach slightly but to no avail, until out of frustration I gave up.

But with God’s help, I gradually humbled myself, and admitted that perhaps my idea was not solving a problem that was as pervasive as I thought. Perhaps there were other problems or areas of improvement I could focus on. I’m not exactly sure yet what those might be, but I’m checking in with God regularly, and asking for His guidance on how I can cooperate with Him. My mantra has become, “stay humble, stay open, and stay alert.”

PRAYER: Dear God, open my eyes to the ways I’ve become blinded and stuck, and help me to be humble, open, and alert so that I can perceive the loving guidance of your spirit.

PROMPT: How do you typically respond to obstacles or “enemies”, and in what new ways is God guiding you to cooperate with Him in those situations?