To ignore means to “disregard, to have no knowledge of, to pass over or by without notice, or to shut one’s eyes to.”

Did you know that it can be a spiritual exercise?

When someone is trying to attack you, or trap you into a fight, or sting you with words, often the only solution is to ignore the person. And to do that, you must completely prevent yourself from delving into what the person is trying to drill into you.

Don’t fall into traps. This is “to ignore” in the right fashion. It is not to withdraw love. It is not to suspend concern. It is not to be aloof.

It is to exercise enough discipline to refrain from drinking of the poison.

It is when we let something get under our skin and reply in kind that we spin into the frenzy of a poor spirit. At the least, your day may be ruined.

If you are receiving darkness from someone, stop paying mind to it. Curiosity is the enemy. When you listen to or read something that you know is unfair, it simply tempts you to act imprudently and then to do what you were falsely accused of. When we tap into darkness, it can gush like a Gulf well.

On occasion, the Lord speaks loudly to all of us and often it is in warning. This we don’t ignore.

The Lord may tell you to disregard a certain person who is known to cause disturbances. Shortly after, the person may do just that — and you succeed in obedience if you avoid the temptation of seeing what had been said. That brings grace because when we listen to a “word” from God, He sends us more words. It strengthens the communication. It opens us to a new level of warning. Your fruit will match your growth.

When we don’t heed what He tells us, He stops or slows down such communication.

To ignore is not to show disdain. It is to disregard, and sometimes we have to disregard people — or at least what they try to tell us. It is the evil one behind it. It is meant to disrupt us — or engage us. It is meant to trap us into a fight.

To ignore is to disregard and also to set aside or reject a “groundless indictment.” That’s a second part of the definition.

A groundless indictment is a false charge. It is taken from thin air. It is in the mind (or spirit behind) a person.

Look at it for what it is and don’t let the devil speak to you. (The more you do, the more he will also!)

Transcend it. Pray for the person. This puts a stop to it. Don’t even skim read it. Don’t look for a summary. Don’t care to know, unless you truly did something wrong.

In life, we all go through groundless charges. We usually sense them in the spirit, and should go with that. Sometimes we are misunderstood. Sometimes, a person is simply nasty. Ignored, their stings quickly recede. It is when we respond to them or react in kind that it turns into a prolonged suffering.

Next time you see what seems like a poison pen note in the mail, or on Facebook, or in an e-mail, or a person tries to speak it to you, shut it off immediately, and totally; exercise discipline. Stop your curiosity from wanting to indulge in it. Don’t drink of the poison.

Instead, bide by the soft Voice of the Lord and He will whisper the gentleness that will sustain your spirit.

— MHB

[resources: The God of Miracles]

[remember again: Love deflects all attack, corrects all bias, remedies all slander, and radiates through the sacraments]