“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. Psalm 91:14 (NIV)
It was the end of a long day. We worked, we went to school, and did all the things busy families do. I had some special teaching to do because one of our kids is still learning basic life skills. The truth is, I had very little patience. My sense of kindness diminishes when I am tired.
I had a conversation with my husband about the events of the day. I told him, I wasn't going to make a big deal about it to the kid. I was just going to be quiet to see what happened.
My spirit was the opposite of quiet. Usually, I allow anger to take over and I speak harshly. This day, I decided to turn on music that glorified God. I especially turned on a song of gratitude to God.
Gratitude acknowledges God. It was difficult to think about my feelings and situation when all I heard was:
For the many times I've fallen
yet you forgave me
Thank you, Lord I thank you
For unmerited favor, and your brand new mercies
Thank you, How I thank you
For waken me up this morning
For letting me see one more dawning
Thank you, Lord I thank you
I thank you Lord"
- Thank you, Richard Smallwood.
My heart was filled with gratitude. I was also filled with quietness.
Much later, I was able to speak about what happened and how to correct the situation. I decided to grab a devotional I wrote in 2018 and I read it to the kids while they had dinner. The theme was on inviting Jesus to walk with us daily.
My heart was edified because of God's help. Most times, I "help" myself by being angry and yelling or speaking harshly. I feel bad but I don't do much about it. I ask for forgiveness the next day and go on to repeat this behavior the next time I get tired and something "sets me off."
I learned that God can rescue me from myself. He can rescue me by allowing me to turn to Him for help.
The steps I took were:
1. Acknowledge God. He is present, He is ready to help.
2. Glorify God. Music is a great way to do that. Be sure the song is about God, not about humans.
3. Read the Bible. The words of God will edify and encourage everyone, starting with us.
I'm not sure if you, like me, have a tendency to "lose it" when you are tired, angry or just not up to being cheerful. God can help. We need to acknowledge Him and welcome Him into our situation.
Prayer: Lord, here I am, a sinner. Have mercy on me. I acknowledge your name. Please rescue me from my sinful tendencies. I commit my heart to your will and your way. I choose to fill my heart with your praises as I welcome your presence. All I want is to be who you made me to be. Thank you for loving me and sending Jesus to die for my sins. I love you and I thank you in Jesus' name, Amen.
Post a Comment