Some days are trickier than others when trying to respond to circumstances in a Godly way. Take for instance that morning I was at the grocery store…I hadn’t slept well. I was tired. I was moody, and dare I admit it… I was hormonal. While at the store, I ran into someone I knew pretty well. They noticed I was a little “off” and made a derogatory comment in the form of a joke at my expense. I tried to hide my real feelings because we all know Christians aren’t supposed to have bad days. I told her I was fine, fake-laughed and looked for a quick way to end the conversation. All I wanted was to just get checked out, get back to my car and head home to probably kick the wall or scream at the hamster! On the way home I got cut off by a driver who was not paying attention and I yelled out the words, “What’s YOUR problem!?” Oh…did I mention my kids were with me, witnessing this glorious outburst? Yep, I had successfully NOT responded in a Godly way to any situation that came my way that whole morning!
Have you had days like that? I can only assume I’m not alone in the “guilty for not acting Godly” club! But sometimes acting Godly is just too difficult, right? I totally understand! It used to be that these were the very days that I’d make every excuse in the book not to open “THE BOOK”! In my vain attempt to just get through a hard day, when I needed God’s wisdom so desperately, I would actually choose to not seek Him first.
Can anyone relate to this?
“A hot tempered {woman} stirs up dissension, but a patient {woman} calms a quarrel” Proverbs 15:18
It’s taken some time, but I’ve come to learn that a calm spirit makes all the difference in a somewhat volatile situation. When emotions are unstable and life’s events are unpredictable, it’s so easy to move into the defensive mode. For many of us that may mean a short fuse, thoughtless words, and unkind actions. (Ok, seriously, I have NEVER screamed at a hamster, but I have done much sillier things in anger…) There are those times I am prone to anger quickly, especially given the right mixture of circumstance, emotions, and exhaustion (and yeah, hormones). Over the years, I have gotten better about depending on the Lord before I ramp up too much: Praying for wisdom, seeking His counsel, and keeping close (and Godly) friends that hold one another accountable for our actions. I think that comes from being in His Word more consistently, and then coming into His presence and being reminded that I want to be more like Jesus and less like Lisa. And sometimes I even succeed.
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” Proverbs 15:1
St. Francis of Assisi said, “In all ways spread the Gospel; and if you MUST, use words.” I want others to see Jesus in me through my words as well as in my actions. But I especially want my children to see Jesus in me. I don’t strive to be perfect, but I desire my children to see the Grace of God at work in my imperfection. Hopefully teaching them that while vulnerabilities are a part of being human, walking with the Lord over time will help us respond more like Jesus. One of my favorite life verses has always been 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me”.
Truth sharing time: What causes you to react, an how do you need to grow in your Godly responses? How have you taught your kids to respond to life’s unfriendly situations in a Godly manner?
