MONDAY

(James 1:19-20)

When any kind of trial comes in your life how do you act and react? James tells here to be “swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” I believe he includes all three because we often hear only what we want to hear and then say the first thing that comes to our mind leading us into a state of wrath. Remember, we are talking about a time of trial so we are on edge. The problem is, as James go on to say, “for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” See when we don’t hear everything we need to and say the first thing that comes to mind, we are often acting out of our own instinct and not allowing God to work in or through us in the trial. I often find myself having this issue while dealing with my two kids. I often forget about the fact that they are 1 ½ and 5 ½ and usually don’t know any better when they are doing things and I end up getting upset and raising my voice and lose my temper for no real reason. These actions by me are not teaching my children the righteousness of God through my actions and reactions, they teaching them to just find their temper when things don’t go the way they want them to. If we will let God work in and through us especially during times of trial not only will we see a difference in our actions and reactions but those around us will see the difference as well and when they ask how we were able to keep calm and level headed we can give all glory to God and say it was Him in me.