"He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that rules his spirit than he that take a city." Proverbs 16:32
I think of all of the great men of history. Our founding fathers. Our
Confederate fathers. The men of renown of times long past. I think of
their military strength, conquest, and their power and stand with a
great respect toward them. However, God says that I can be better than
them. I can possess that might, I can possess that prestige, if I rule
my spirit correctly. Slow to anger, that is one thing that I often wish I
had learned earlier in my life rather than later. In a society where
"strong women say it like it is" without regard to those around them, a
meek and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:4) is both difficult to find, and
highly valued as well... in the right circles
On the topic of great warriors, the battle to rule the spirit is a
great war indeed. We live in a fallen world and we are confined to these
bodies of flesh. The flesh is continually at war with the Spirit
(Romans 8) and the things which are appropriate for the Spirit will
always offend the flesh, but the flip-side of that is that the things
which are preferable to the flesh will quench the Spirit. As Christians,
especially as Christian women (although I believe men can glean from
this as well in similar instances), we must kill the flesh to walk in
the Spirit, and this means dying to self daily..... hourly even. It's
not about ME, but HIM.
Why do I get angry? Well, in all
honesty, most times it is because >I< have been offended. Why do I
get offended? Most times, because of this burdensome flesh I am paired
with. My pride gets hurt. My hard work goes unthanked and unrecognized
(selfishness). Maybe I even expect too much out of people (holding
others to higher standards than I perhaps have set for myself?). Again,
we live in a fallen world. People slip up. They fall into sin. It
happens. How do I treat myself when I slip up? How does the Lord treat
me when I slip up? Maybe that is how I should start treating others when
they make mistakes? I think so. I look around, and I see myself in
other people. Who I am, who I used to be, and even who I want to be. I
desire to help others grow because I love them and I want them to be
successful in their Christian walk. However, I must accept that they
will not always be open to me because of this filthy flesh, this pride
that we battle every day. The first step to helping and exhorting others
is ruling my own Spirit.
This, this is especially true in parenting. ♥
On the topic of great warriors, the battle to rule the spirit is a great war indeed. We live in a fallen world and we are confined to these bodies of flesh. The flesh is continually at war with the Spirit (Romans 8) and the things which are appropriate for the Spirit will always offend the flesh, but the flip-side of that is that the things which are preferable to the flesh will quench the Spirit. As Christians, especially as Christian women (although I believe men can glean from this as well in similar instances), we must kill the flesh to walk in the Spirit, and this means dying to self daily..... hourly even. It's not about ME, but HIM.
Why do I get angry? Well, in all honesty, most times it is because >I< have been offended. Why do I get offended? Most times, because of this burdensome flesh I am paired with. My pride gets hurt. My hard work goes unthanked and unrecognized (selfishness). Maybe I even expect too much out of people (holding others to higher standards than I perhaps have set for myself?). Again, we live in a fallen world. People slip up. They fall into sin. It happens. How do I treat myself when I slip up? How does the Lord treat me when I slip up? Maybe that is how I should start treating others when they make mistakes? I think so. I look around, and I see myself in other people. Who I am, who I used to be, and even who I want to be. I desire to help others grow because I love them and I want them to be successful in their Christian walk. However, I must accept that they will not always be open to me because of this filthy flesh, this pride that we battle every day. The first step to helping and exhorting others is ruling my own Spirit.
This, this is especially true in parenting. ♥
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