2023-12-16
Psalm 37:8 NKJV
Your anger may or may not hurt the person toward whom it’s directed, but it can definitely hurt you. Prolonged anger releases toxic chemicals into your body that elevate your blood pressure, create cholesterol, and increase your risk of stroke and heart attack. Every minute given to anger is a minute taken away from joy. And it can hurt you personally and professionally. Everybody gets upset from time to time. But when you walk around with your anger barely concealed, people avoid you. Plus, you’re giving whoever angers you power over your attitude and your responses. That’s too much power to give anybody! God wants you to live in peace. Here is how to let go of your anger:
(1) Recognize the main hurt and emotion at the root of your anger. (Pride?).
(2) Become mindful of how your anger is exhibiting itself (such as surliness or profanity).
(3) Restrain anger’s effect on your body by inhaling deeply and exhaling, adding an affirmation such as “Thank you, Father” or “I receive Your peace now.” Watch your tone of voice in all your communications, not just with someone who has angered you. Request rather than order. You will feel more in control, and people will be more inclined to cooperate with you.
(4) Decide to forgive. You will know you have forgiven when you no longer desire to see your offender penalized. Don’t mistake this with the reality that you still feel hurt. Feelings follow behavior. If you continue to reopen the wound by constantly talking about it, it will never heal. Just keep walking in love, and your emotions will fall into line with your decision.
Soul food: Neh 1-4; John 17:13-26; Ps 105:23-36; Prov 30:15-19
Psalm 37:8 NLV
Jou woede mag dalk of mag dalk nie die persoon teen wie dit gerig is, seermaak nie, maar dit kan jou definitief seermaak. Langdurige woede stel giftige chemikalieë in jou liggaam vry wat jou bloeddruk verhoog, cholesterol veroorsaak en jou risiko vir beroertes en hartaanvalle verhoog. Elke minuut wat aan woede bestee word, is ‘n minuut wat jou van vreugde ontneem. Almal raak van tyd tot tyd ontsteld. Wanneer jy egter met kwalik bedekte woede rondloop, vermy mense jou. Jy gee ook die persoon wat jou kwaad maak mag oor jou houding en reaksies. God wil hê dat jy in vrede moet leef. Hier is hoe jy jou woede kan laat gaan:
1) Herken die rede vir jou seer en emosie wat die wortel van jou woede is. (Trots?).
2) Wees bedag op hoe jou woede homself openbaar (soos ‘n nors gesig of vloektaal).
3) Beperk die effek van woede op jou liggaam deur diep in en uit te asem en voeg ‘n bevestiging soos: ‘Dankie, Vader,’ of ‘Ek ontvang nou u vrede,’ by. Let op na jou stemtoon, nie net met iemand wat jou kwaad gemaak het nie. Versoek eerder as om te beveel. Jy sal meer in beheer voel en mense sal meer geneig wees om saam met jou te werk.
4) Besluit om te vergewe. Jy sal weet dat jy vergewe het wanneer jy nie meer die begeerte het om te sien hoe jou oortreder gestraf word nie.
Moenie dit verwar met die realiteit dat jy steeds seergemaak voel nie. Gevoelens volg op gedrag. As jy aanhou om die wond weer oop te maak deur voortdurend daaroor te praat, sal dit nooit genees nie. Hou net aan om in liefde te loop en jou emosies sal in lyn met jou besluit kom.
Sielskos: Neh 1-4; Joh 17:13-26; Ps 105:23-36; Spr 30:15-19
2023-12-15
James 1:19 NLT
The Bible gives us three keys to handling our anger the right way. Let’s look at each one and see what we can learn:
(1) “Be quick to listen.” Don’t react, and don’t rush to judgment. Slow down and try to get the facts, then prayerfully and carefully consider how God wants you to respond.
(2) “Slow to speak.” If you’re unsure, or you don’t know, just say so. There is an old Chinese proverb that says, “It’s better to say nothing and appear to be a fool than to open your mouth and confirm it.” Your need to be in control, or to look like you have all the answers, can come back to bite you. What you don’t say, you won’t have to explain or apologize for later.
(3) “Slow to get angry.” Note, the Bible doesn’t say that you should never get angry. It says you should get angry about the right things, in the right way, at the right time. Solomon says, “Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool” (Ecclesiastes 7:9 NLT). That’s why it’s so important to deal with your hurts. An unhealed wound causes pain which often manifests itself in anger.
The trouble is, we carry our anger around with us and vent it on others. As a result, they distance themselves from us, or distrust us, or deny us the intimacy and closeness we desire with them. The Bible says, “The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression” (Proverbs 19:11 NKJV). Christlike character grows through exercising patience, love, and restraint.
Soul food: Col 3-4; Philemon; John 17:1-12; Ps 105:16-22; Prov 30:10-14
Jakobus 1:19 NLV
Die Bybel gee ons drie sleutels om ons woede op die regte manier te hanteer. Kom ons kyk na elkeen en wat ons daaruit kan leer:
1) ‘Wees altyd gou om te luister.’ Moenie reageer nie en moenie haastig wees om te oordeel nie. Probeer eers die feite agtermekaar kry en oorweeg dan, versigtig en met gebed, hoe God wil hê jy moet reageer.
2) ‘Nie te gou om te praat nie.’ As jy onseker is of nie weet nie, sê net so. Daar is ‘n ou Chinese spreuk wat lui: ‘Dis beter om niks te sê en soos ‘n dwaas te lyk, as om jou mond oop te maak en alle twyfel uit die weg te ruim.’ Jy sal nie vir dit wat jy nie sê nie, later hoef te verduidelik of verskoning voor te vra nie.
3) ‘Nie te gou om kwaad te word nie.’ Die Bybel sê nie dat jy nooit moet kwaad word nie. Dit sê dat jy oor die regte dinge, op die regte manier, op die regte tyd moet kwaad word. Salomo sê: ‘…Moenie gou kwaad word nie; ergenis hoort by dwase’ (Prediker 7:9 NLV).
Daarom is dit so belangrik om jou seer te hanteer. ‘n Wond wat nie genees nie veroorsaak pyn wat dikwels in woede manifesteer. Die probleem is dat ons ons woede saam met ons dra en dit op ander uithaal. Gevolglik distansieer hulle hulself van ons, of wantrou ons, of ontneem ons die intimiteit en nabyheid wat ons van hulle begeer. Die Bybel sê: “‘n Verstandige mens hou homself in bedwang. Hy stel sy eer daarin om ander se oortredings oor te sien” (Spreuke 19:11 NLV). ‘n Christelike karakter groei deur geduld, liefde en selfbeheersing uit te oefen.
Sielskos: Kol 3-4; Filemon; Joh 17:1-12; Ps 105:16-22; Spr 30:10-14
2023-12-14
Joshua 1:5 NKJV
Because we are keenly aware of our limitations, we tend to limit our pursuits to our comfort zone. And that can lead to a life of mediocrity and unfulfilled dreams. Your efforts don’t rest solely on your shoulders, but on God’s. Yes, you have a part to play. But when you have done your best, you must trust God to do the rest.
On the threshold of the promised land, God said to Joshua, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you, nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage” (vv. 5-6). Your ability is limited, but God’s ability is unlimited. You may experience failure on your way to success, but God’s guarantee is, “I will not fail thee.”
The fear of failure is often based on the erroneous belief that success rests solely on our abilities. And because we’re aware of our inadequacies, we stay in our comfort zone instead of tackling the giants in the promised land. This can lead to a life of frustration over “what could have been.”
When you know that what you want lines up with God’s will, be bold and know that you will eventually succeed. “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:14-15 NKJV). When your confidence is “in Him,” your success is assured. When you know that what you want is what God wants, you can move forward in strength.
Soul food: Col 1-2; John 16:19-33; Ps 105:8-15; Prov 30:5-9
