A
gentle answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1
The challenges we face on a daily basis impacts our journey
with Jesus Christ. The question is, are you equipped to respond to situations
in your life or will you only be reacting? Will God be glorified and honored or
will you be dealing with a conviction in your heart?
We need to use God’s word to ground us, to give us direction
and guidance in the choices we make. I love Psalm 19:10-11 which says, “They
(God’s word) are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter
than honey from the comb. By them (God’s word) is your servant warned; in
keeping them there is great reward.” Another verse that
really speaks to my heart and I love to pray over daily is Psalm 19:14 is “May
the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
The heaviness of conviction on my heart made it clear I handled
a conflict wrong and I went straight to God to pray. God asked me, “What kind
of Christian do you want to be?” I
realized the way I reacted in the privacy of my home is not the way I would respond
if my friends were around. God clearly showed me this is not right. He told me
that I am called to live beyond the way the world thinks and live according to
His ways. He also reminded me that scripture says, “Do to others as you would
have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to
you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who
are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that.” Luke
6:31-33
Verses
to Reflect:
Romans 6: 17-21 “But
thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have
come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed
your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become
slaves to righteousness. I am using an example from everyday life because
of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to
impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves
to righteousness leading to holiness. When you were slaves to
sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now
ashamed of? Those things result in death!”
Titus 3: 5-7 “Grace is the kindness and the love of God our
Savior…not because of righteous things we have done, but because of His mercy.
He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom
He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having
been justified heirs having the hope of eternal life.”
