I give small insignificant things power to loom greatly in my bitty-brain. I let my self-speak tell me; over, over, over… and over, how a situation ‘should’ have gone. Why wasn’t I able to deflect hurtful words with a pithy, humorous reply?
Why?
Because it would have added fuel to the fire. It would have added pride to the self-spoken.
It would have put my come-back on the ‘Hurtful Words’ list of words hurled at humanity.
I did NOT hurl those hurtful words, like an arrow, and yet still… they are cycling through my smallness with great joy. I could have said… … … .
Next time. Will I have my humorous, pithy reply ready?
Will I instead, “Humble myself in the sight of Him who laid down His life: to forgive my sin.”?
An important question: in the resolution of my many troubles, do my troubles begin with me?
Yes they do, and no they do not.
I am able extinguish the words of another; to not let those words set my my heart on fire. I am able to use God-given gifts to refuse hateful and uncaring words from wounding me.
My troubles may begin with words. What if I choose how I react to hateful attacks, not with a counter attack, but rather by putting the hurtful retort aside, and thus extinguishing the flaming words hurled at me.
The troubles did not begin with me, after all. They can however, end with me.
I am thankful that I am not left in my smallness. I am not alone in this warring world.
Such wisdom is found in the Bible. There is the Armor of God, given freely to me, for my many travels through this wounded world.
My many troubles…
Good News. There is hope.
(Referenced above Ephesians 6:10-17)