Soft Answers

Monday was "one of those days" where it seemed like everything that could go wrong, did. I mean, seriously, it was one thing after another. I'm pregnant, so even the smallest things seemed to make my world spin and crash. Probably hormones...yeah, that's what I'll blame it all on. But for real, my kids were having attitude, my husband's phone wasn't working so I couldn't text or call him while he was at work to pour my tired soul out to him, I got a medical bill for something that shouldn't have been billed to me, I was having strong Braxton Hicks and on top of all that, my dad informed me he had been in the hospital and then my on-call babysitter for the birth backed out. I'm due in 4 weeks. Talk about panic mode. 

To say my answers and conversations were full of emotion and thoughtlessness would be an understatement. I could blame it all on hormones and the fact that I am a fiery red head, but instead, I'll focus on the real root issue; my heart. 

My day hadn't started out right. I hadn't prayed. I hadn't read my Bible. I hadn't turned on worship music. I really just got out of bed and started the day running, not even taking a thought about God, or fixing my heart on Him. Teach me a lesson, huh? 

I noticed that everyone I talked to, I offended, even my kids. Everyone seemed upset at me. Everyone was just "done" with  me and I crawled into a hole, crying my little sore heart out and feeling like the worst failure in the entire world. 

But what could have changed all that? I had to ponder that and it's taken me days to really face the fact that I can be a confrontational person. I have all sorts of reasons that I am that way, some valid, some not. I have something inside me that cries for justice, not just for myself, but for anyone I feel that is wronged. It's one of those things in me that I think God has given me as a gift, but I need to ask Him for wisdom on how to channel it for His purpose and plan. 

Something that popped into my head is the scripture that talks about soft answers. When we give a soft answer in the face of those who are wronging us, we are filled with a power that is really inhuman. It's miraculous. It's godly. It's from heaven, quite literally. But when we spew the first words that come to our little, finite brains, often times we end up wounding the ones who we feel have wounded us. Two wrongs never make a right. Like never. So how do we overcome this? How to we train ourselves to be meek and gentle? It's hard! It'll take time. But here are a few steps that I am putting into place for myself that I think will help! 

1. Don't ever reply to that message/call/text right away. You're sure to be a spitfire and hurt the other person.

2. Put yourself in their shoes and try to see it from their perspective, even if it's wrong.

3. Look for the good in the person. Doesn't matter if they're the worst person in the world...there is something good about them somewhere. 

4. Pray for them. (Pray for your enemies, remember?)

5. Know when to just not respond at all! Know that there will be times it's better to just keep quiet. Doesn't matter if they're as wrong as wrong can be, sometimes keeping our mouths shut is better than saying anything. 

Another thing that you can do just to have a good day is read your Bible. Pray. Turn on some worship music. Get a download from heaven before you start your day. And if you find that you're running low on time and don't have time to do all that stuff, then your priorities are wrong. Get up a little earlier. Make time. God is most important. I failed at that the other morning and I fail at that all the time, actually. I am having to realign my focus and realign my heart to the plumb line God has for me. I notice that the days I do take time to commit to  Him and worship Him that my day, no matter what bad things happen, my day goes better, my heart feels happier and my attitude is on point. 

God bless you guys! Keep up the good work. Never lose faith. Always trust. Always hope. Always believe.