When is Enough....ENOUGH?

You know, it's amazing what a big effect that your words can have on someone.  Whether good or bad, the things that we say TO someone or ABOUT someone can really affect them in a huge way.  It's even worse when someone that is suppose to love you and be there for you says hateful things about you.  It's so simple when you think about it....just DON'T say hurtful things....but we ALL do it every day.    Nothing is worse however, than when we find out that those that we hold in high regard, and love are saying hateful things behind our backs.   I often find myself in turmoil over what to do about certain people in my life that continue to hurt me in one way or another repeatedly, and most the time...purposely.  Whether the reasons are anger, jealousy, control or just plain hate that causes these people to go out of their way to say negative things about me, in the end, in my mind, it's just hurtful.   I'm in a constant struggle with myself over what to do with these people in my life.  In some cases, they are more than just your average friend, and some are family.  So, this being the case, it makes it hard to figure out what to do with them IN your life.  You love them, so cutting them completely out of your life seems harsh and even painful, but how long can you continue to take abuse?  How long do you allow these people to get away with making you feel small, useless, unimportant, etc?  I know that we are all responsible for our own lives and how we feel about our own selves, but I can't help but let the words and thoughts of someone that I love effect me.  I wish that I was a stronger, more self assured person to the point that things that people say didn't bother me.  This would certainly make life much easier!  This whole topic is something that I'm really going to have to pray about so that I can find my way.  Pretending that I don't know what is being said about me is like putting a bandaid on a gun wound.  It might cover up the site of the problem, but the wound is still there, and bleeding.  Also, these people keep thinking that they are getting away with the things that they are saying because in my attempt to keep the peace, I don't say anything.  I just keep going on about life like nothing ever happened, nothing was ever said.....so I guess in some ways that makes me a hypocrite because how can I be angry at someone speaking a lie or just something hurtful about me, when I just keep the truth to myself as well?  Confrontation for the most part, is not my thing, and in most cases when I have confronted people that have said or done negative things to me, it just makes the situation blow up bigger.  Who is to say what the right thing to do is?!  I do feel like it's time to start cleaning out my life.....pruning my tree so to speak.  I read a quote earlier that stated:  “Loving someone does not mean we need to make them a part of our life.”  This is a quote that I need to keep in mind in the days and months ahead of me.   I think that I may need to learn to love some people from a DISTANCE.  The reason for the title of this post is because I would love to know TRULY...when is enough...enough?  Wouldn't it be nice if God would just answer our questions by mail?  Until that happens, I'm going to have to go on my gut instinct and prayers.  Wish me luck.