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Stay Calm

“A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.”¹

If there is something I have learned in my years as a parent, it is the importance of staying calm in every situation. I have an adolescent daughter, a seven-year-old son, and a two-year-old daughter. Needless to say, there are days where emotions are running high, and I find myself playing referee! If I were to face the stressful situations with a loud voice or aggressive spirit, I can assure you that things would only escalate, and we would all end up caught in the chaos. Obviously, there are times where discipline is needed, but many times I can simply approach the crying or frustration with a gentle whisper to calm the situation. In order for the upset child to hear me, they have to quiet down and listen. Sometimes it takes a couple times of repeating myself before my toddler gets the point, but my older children have caught on quite well.

Proverbs 15:1 says it perfectly, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Think of all the conflicts that could be avoided if we would only follow this advice constantly!

Understanding why we should be slow to anger as children of God is one of the most valuable lessons we will learn in our faith journey. Being slow to anger is one of the attributes of God. Psalm 145:8 says, “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.” For those of us who have experienced his great patience and love in our own lives, even with our mistakes, we know what a beautiful thing it is. It is because of this, that he gave us salvation and has delayed His second coming, so that everyone would have the opportunity to accept His gift.

A wise Christian listens to and obeys God, listens carefully to others, discerns what he/she hears, and then chooses a calm and wise response. As we grow in the image of Christ, we too can share His patience and love with others.

Suggested prayer: Dear God, it is not always easy to respond to difficult situations calmly or patiently. Please continue to mold my heart to be more like yours, so that I can be wise in the way I respond to the situations I face. Thank you for your love and patience with me, and for the gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ. In His name I pray, amen.

 

 

1. Proverbs 15:18 (NIV).

 

Today’s Encounter was written by: Crystal B.