Slow to Anger

Proverbs 20:3 – “Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man. But any fool will quarrel.”
   Life throws crazy, out of the ordinary circumstances at us all of the time. People we know and even perfect strangers will undoubtedly say or do things that will try to throw us off our game. When under stressful situations it is important that we resist the urge to quarrel or even give attention to misgivings that are only designed to distract us. For most of us it isn’t too hard to think of situations when we really had to hold back our tongues from blurting out something that would have been like throwing gas on a fire. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit we exercised self-control and potentially saved a lot of time, energy and misunderstanding just by bridling our tongue and not reacting to potentially volatile situations.
    God has given us the resources to live peacefully with other people. His WORD assures us that it is possible to feel anger without letting it boil over into rage. Strife is that friction that either simmers under the surface or explodes in the open between people who disagree about something. The book of Proverbs teachers that it is to one’s honor to avoid strife. As we enter this week, let’s be on guard to avoid quarrels and to follow God’s example when we fill provoked. Stay focused on your mission and don’t be distracted by wasting energy on quarrels.
     Every day is a good day; it is up to us to make it a GREAT day!. Be blessed! Rev. Dr. JoAnn