Wisdom! Doing now what will make sense and give you peace later. Following the way of God and doing what is right and honoring to Him. Going deeper than your own thoughts and digging into what God knows is good and purposeful. Wisdom is living with discernment and putting into practice the things you know are right, good, true and holy.
One of my new years goals was to start eating better and get more exercise. Knowledge says this is good for me. Wisdom puts it into practice. I have not been all that wise this January. I've half-heartedly put into practice the eating thing...the exercise, not hardly at all. I don't think two hikes qualifies as getting in shape. LOL
But today was the day I stepped up and started back outside walking. It really did feel good to be in the sunshine and crispy air. And not only did I get some physical and mental benefits, I got some spiritual benefits as well. I went back to listening to the Joyce Meyer podcasts. What a blessing.
I so related to what she was saying. She was in another country and a lot of the little every day things are different and she had to figure them out while she was trying to get ready to speak. She could feel herself starting to get irritated. Now, one of my biggest pet peeves is the small little annoyances that happen every day. I find myself saying way too often, "Can't anything be easy or go right!?!" It's the littles. The spilled drink, the internet not coming up, the stubborn screw that won't come out, the burned toast....on and on, little irritations that piled together make you want to scream sometimes. And these things always seem to happen when you have to be somewhere. LOL
Something she said really struck me though. As she was starting to feel the angst coming up, she "heard" the saying, "Is this wise?" Hmmph. Is it wise to start getting upset when things go wrong? Is it wise to let the trivial bring us to a point of heavy frustration and anger?
Proverbs 14:29 People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness.
Proverbs 29:11 Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.
Proverbs 19:11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.
Proverbs 16:32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
How much wiser is it for us to remain at peace than let anger (especially over the smallest of things) rule our spirits and our day? It's amazing how one little line in a teaching can change one's whole outlook on the way they react. Now, wisdom will be putting this into practice!
Lord, help us to go deeper in our reactions to life. Help us to remain peaceful, thankful and joyful amid troubles both small and large. You are in control and You have only our good in mind. Help us to trust in that in every detail of our day. Forgive me for allowing myself to lose my peace, and fall into bad humor over things that don't really matter. Teach us all wisdom. Let it grow in us til all can see You in us. Thank You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Read a Proverb a day.
No comments:
Post a Comment