Thousands of irritations arise every day that wear us down, aggravate us, make us grouchy, get on our nerves, cause stress and initiate worrisome thoughts. They disturb the peace of God that we are endeavoring to walk in each moment of the day.
Sometimes they come though other people, and at times they initiate through circumstances that pile up on us and threaten to drown and overwhelm us. We may respond inappropriately and hurt people’s feelings. Our response blindsides them, because they have no idea what we are experiencing at that moment.
So, how do we deal with these people and issues? We show God’s love to irritating people and allow our patience with them to do her perfecting work in us. We draw from God’s agape love toward us to share with them, and we show them compassion. We listen between their words to see how to pray for them.
We remain silent and just pay attention, unless we can use words that are full of God’s mercy and grace. We can also view irritating circumstances through the eyes of faith rather than human sight. Taking our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ, we allow Him to reduce our anxiety and irritation (2 Corinthians 10:65).
A general malaise that has no specific source or definition – a vague depression that seeps into our soul, or an estrangement from those whom we are usually connected with – may also creep up on us when we least expect it.
Turning over all of our irritations and negative feelings to God helps them to lose their intensity so that we can better deal with them. Our vital connection to our Father God keeps us from feeling alone regardless of our location or circumstances (Exodus 2:23-24).
We connect with our church family, take part in missions and ministries, and reach out to those going through trials in their own life. We are part of a long line of Saints reaching back through the ages and continuing on into the future (Exodus 2:24, 3:6).
Prayer:
Father God, You designed for us to be part of Your family which is made up of people from every nation, tongue, tribe and people group that has ever existed on this earth. You call all of us as Your adopted children and we will worship You together around Your throne. You are the God of all of those who are spiritually alive (Mark 12:24-27). Your Saints are part of our spiritual heritage who all enjoy the same eternal covenant with You.
We enjoy a spiritual relationship with You as we serve You with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Remind us to withdraw from our circumstances when we lose Your peace in our heart. Help us not to rely on our human understanding, but to consistently consult You for each moment of our day for attitude adjustments, mental clarity, emotional understanding and spiritual wisdom.
Thought for the Day:
God is our refuge, our strength, our constant help in any times of trouble, and we have our true identity in His opinion of us; this allows us to enjoy unbroken fellowship with Him as we walk in His ways, obey His precepts, trust in His wisdom, and seek His will for each moment of our day.
- Psalm 46:1
