Friday April 13th, 2018 Psalm 4
When you are disturbed [or are angry], do not sin; ponder it on your beds, and be silent. (verse 4)
When we are hurt or angered by someone, it is human to want to lash back and prove who has the upper hand. But, as we follow Christ, we are not to give into our immediate human reactions, as natural as they may feel to us.
Instead, we are encouraged to seek solace with God and remember that we also have human traits that can and will cause difficulties for others. We are, therefore, not to react in a volatile or vindictive way when we are challenged. Rather, we are urged to stay silent, to search our own hearts and trust that God will deal effectively both with us and with the people who have hurt us. We must also remember that, although we all fall short, God loves each of us wholly and completely, even with all our human flaws.
It takes inner strength and self-control to remain silent and to put our trust in God. But each time we do so, we are showing that we trust God, and we are following ever more closely in Christ’s footsteps.
Lord, when I want to strike back at people, help me to remember that we are all flawed but you love us all and will set things right. Amen. — DLG
Contributed by Don’t Fight Back
When we are hurt or angered by someone, it is human to want to lash back and prove who has the upper hand. But, as we follow Christ, we are not to give into our immediate human reactions, as natural as they may feel to us.
Instead, we are encouraged to seek solace with God and remember that we also have human traits that can and will cause difficulties for others. We are, therefore, not to react in a volatile or vindictive way when we are challenged. Rather, we are urged to stay silent, to search our own hearts and trust that God will deal effectively both with us and with the people who have hurt us. We must also remember that, although we all fall short, God loves each of us wholly and completely, even with all our human flaws.
It takes inner strength and self-control to remain silent and to put our trust in God. But each time we do so, we are showing that we trust God, and we are following ever more closely in Christ's footsteps.
