Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame - Benjamin Franklin
Last week was a rather testing week for me...one of those were I felt I should have just stayed in bed, not checked my mail nor switched my phone on, nonetheless I still stand. I even considered taking a "vow of silence" after the week I had#lol. Without going into detail, I will share with you that I was told to "eff off" not once but TWICE by the same person#lol I was extremely hurt by this but I wasn't sure if it was my ego that was bruised or if it was because a fellow sister in Christ had uttered those words to me, but I quickly reminded myself that it is not my place to judge and I came across a quote by one of my favourite authors, Paulo Coelho and it read "We can never judge the lives of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation. It's one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it's another to think that yours is the only path."
I know that I am a strong minded and opinionated individual, I try to always use tact but sometimes I may come across condescending and a little arrogant; I've never claimed to be perfect as I am God's job, everyday He is tweaking and altering me and thank goodness for that#smiles
I felt I had two choices after being told to "eff off" respond to the lady and maybe even resort to using her vocabulary to express myself OR shrug it off and continue on my journey and I obviously opted for the latter. I've gotten to the point in my life where I cannot be fighting every single battle I am invited to; somethings are just not worth my time, if anything, I will pray for the person and ask that God deal with them just as He is dealing with me.
We've all done or said things in anger and those are always the things we've lived to regret. The danger about anger is the choice of words we have made during those heated moments; and as we know, words are hard to take back and hence I've always tried to calm my ass down before responding to anything or anyone that has highly upset me; but sometimes our rage consumes our whole body like a virus and all we want to do is to evoke the same amount of hurt and pain as they have in our lives.
I would like to share a couple of quotes on anger and urge you to please remember to calm yourself down before you say anything in a heated argument as you may live to regret what you say:
Anger is one letter short of danger. Unknown
He who angers you conquers you. Elizabeth Kenny
If a small thing has the power to make you angry, does that not indicate something about your size? Sydney J. Harris
Anybody can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way - that is not within everybody's power and is not easy. Aristotle
Anger is a little thing. Hate is a little thing. Order is a little thing. Each of these little things has a major impact on the big picture. Right thinking, right action, and right response to the little things will help us conquer the big things, like injustice, inequality, poverty, and disorder. Until we are each able to conquer and master the little things in our lives, the big things will remain undone. Iyanla Vanzant
I would like to challenge you to go into this week with an open heart, forgive the ones that have done you wrong, be reminded that you too are not perfect and have also hurt people along the way. Not only that, God has forgiven you umpteenth times for your sins and why can't you do that for your fellow mates? I'm not saying its easy but it sure is easier than living with the anger and bitterness. Forgive. Love. Laugh. Live. And remember that you don't have to attend every argument that you get invited to. Some are just not worth your time, let it go and Live.
Matthew 7v7-8 "Ask, and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened"
Matthew 18v18-20 "Jesus said, “I tell you the truth. If you don’t forgive a person
on earth, in heaven their sins are not forgiven. If you forgive a person’s sins on
earth, the person is also forgiven in heaven. Again, if two of you on earth agree
about anything and ask God to do it, My Father in heaven will do it. If two or
three people are meeting together in My name, I am there with them.”
Matthew 18v21-22 "Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, if another Christian
sins against me, how many times should I forgive him? Seven times? Jesus said,
“No, not seven times. Forgive him up to 77 times.”
Matthew 18v35 "Jesus said, “If you don’t forgive other Christians from your
heart, My heavenly Father will do the same to you.”
Colossians 3v13 "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may
have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you"
Wishing you all a great week.
Stay Blessed xoxo
