When Dealing with Internet Trolls

What is an internet troll? According to wikipedia.com, an internet troll:

"In internet slang, a troll is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog) with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion. This sense of the word troll and its associated verb trolling are associated with internet discourse, but have been used more widely. Media attention in recent years has equated trolling with online harassment. For example, mass media has used troll to describe "a person who defaces internet tribute sites with the aim of causing grief to families.""

Every single human being who has access to the internet, has either dealt with trolls or is currently dealing with trolls. How can you avoid them?

1. As a Christian, if there is someone who has wronged you or vice versa, forgive or ask for forgiveness and move on. My pastor's wife is a stern woman who does her morning devotions at the crack of dawn, listens to the Christian radio station only, doesn't fit in with other women who hold the same title, and because of that, she devotes her life to giving advice and helping others. One thing she says, is that there are going to be people in our lives who make trouble, but our responsibility as children of God, is to forgive. She said that you don't have to like them, don't have to hang out with them, nor text them, but you have to forgive them. Why? Mark 11:26 says, "But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." Forgive and move on. 

2. Don't stalk them. It is easy to find someone who you know that doesn't like you and get worked up over what he/she posts. If it helps, do what I do: block. If it helps you to keep focused on more important things, block. This shouldn't be done out of hatred either. If we find that blocking is necessary, it helps protect us from retaliating and helps the other person from getting worked up over something that we might post that they will find offensive (and if someone doesn't like you, they will take anything you have and twist it in a misunderstanding way and try to use that against you. Don't give them that ammo if that's their way of thinking). I Peter 3:9 says, "not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing"

3. Pray for them. Our responsibility as Christians, is to pray for others and not in a vindictive manner. We come to our God, who sits on His Holy Throne, we ought to come humbly and with the intentions of a servant's heart: pure and humble. I can honestly say, from previous experience, that I pray, to this very day, for people who have some kind of bias towards me. I don't know who they are, but I pray just in case so that God can cleanse this heart of mine daily so that I may not be a stumbling block to others. I also pray that God brings peace and softness to their heart as to match the heart of Christ. Matthew 5:44 says, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." 

I know what some of you are thinking, who have dealt with internet trolls personally, "How can someone who claims to be a follower of Christ, hold so much hatred or have such a grudge towards me?" I don't know that answer but the Bible gives reasons and I can post all kinds of scripture to find reasoning behind it, but your main focus should be elsewhere, not on them. Feeding a troll makes the troll grow so don't give it any more attention that it desires and longs for. Pray, forgive, ask for forgiveness, and move on. Block if necessary, get yourself an accountability partner, put your phone down and do something productive (reading your Bible, cleaning, charity work, working, etc), and pray about the situation. Your problems will not go away if you don't leave them at the foot of the cross. Take them there, drop them off, and tell God that you can not do this by yourself and let Him deal with it. He wants to. This topic of trolling has been brought to my attention from followers on IG and close friends of mine who have dealt with this issue. I am blessed to get compliments from the readers, who also happen to be complete strangers, but I can tell by their heart's glance, that they have a desire to do what God wants them to do and if there's anything more I can do, sisters, let me know! :) May God bless each one of you with abundance of joy and love. Keep your head up, ladies, and know that God sees the situation at hand and sees the intentions put forth, so let your hearts be pure when you stand before Him on that glorious day. XOXO