There is a story about the mystical teacher Gurdjieff and one of his disciples. The disciple, who lived in the ashram, was strongly disliked by the other disciples for a variety of reasons. When he left, Gurdjieff actually tracked him down and paid him to return, telling the rest of the disciples that the ostracized man was one of their most important teachers.

The next time a difficult person comes into your life, it might be helpful to tell yourself something along the lines of "(Sigh) Here comes another one. God, I ask you to guide me. You have sent this person to me for a reason. Help me to know what it is, and help me to cope successfully."

To Practice: Use Rosen's prayer the next time you are with a difficult person.

Mark I. Rosen in Thank You for Being Such a Pain: Spiritual Guidance for Dealing with Difficult People