Love is not irritable
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. Proverbs 16:32
It's times like these that we all seem a little more irritable than normal. The economy has us under a great deal more pressure. What's happening with our retirement funds? Will we still be able to retire when we planned? Will we be able to afford to pay all of our bills this month? Is the bank going to finally send us the foreclosure notice we've been hoping to delay?
It seems like just one more little thing is going to send us over the deep end. What's going to be the final straw?
The authors of The Love Dare remind us that there are at least two key contributors to irritability: stress and selfishness. The Bible reminds us that there are ways we can overcome stress and selfishness. We don't have to surrender to the consequences of these tactics that the enemy of our souls uses in our lives.
Firstly, being deliberate about setting aside some time for worship and rest is a Biblical mandate for every one of us. It's called the Sabbath - one day a week when we give our calendars and agendas to the Lord for refreshment and refocus. Prioritizing God's will for your life above every other thing can do wonders for stress!
Every sin can be traced back to some form of selfishness or greed. Jesus demonstrated the ultimate act of selflessness, and He is our model in behavior and attitude. Set your mind on others and their needs. Your heart will follow, and soon your actions will demonstrate the love that God has for the other people in your world. As you go through your workday, look on your colleagues with the eyes of God instead of your own. See them as God sees them. As you look at your family, determine how God wants to meet their needs and then submit yourself to be used by God as His instrument in their lives.
There's an old saying that goes something like this: "Christians are a lot like tea bags. You don't know how strong they are until they're in hot water." In other words, our Christian witness is only as strong as our ability to walk in obedience and represent Christ's attitude when times are tough. The closer we get to God, the more we know Him and the more we're able to reflect Him in good times and bad. Commit to spending more time with God in the days ahead. You won't regret it!
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