You Will Never Lose Your Temper And Not Regret It!

"Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered." Proverbs 22:24

I had a pastor one time that taught on anger and the effects of it.  One of the things he said was, "I have never known anyone who lost their temper that didn't regret it!"  I really began to think about that.  I thought about the times I had lost my temper and when others had lost theirs.  He was so right.  It led to nothing but making things worse.   Words are spoken that are irretrievable, but the damage is done!  Even when apologies are said those wounds are still there!    Just like the word says, one word can set a whole forest ablaze!  Think back to a time you lost your temper.  The minute the words came out, you wanted to be able to take them back.  Some felt some relief in losing their temper, but reaped  much negativity almost immediately.  It may have caused a deeper rift and division, possibly even a divorce, families being torn all to pieces,  churches being split, friendships ending, and things just being made worse and worse all the way around.  To sum it up, it may have given you some relief at the time, but the damage went much farther than the amount of time your  "venting"  had taken and with more consequences than you ever would have imagined!  Anger is the first step to unforgiveness and unforgiveness is the first step to offense.  Offense is quickly followed by bitterness and bitterness poisons EVERY SINGLE RELATIONSHIP IN YOUR LIFE!   I have seen people who were madly in love, I mean absolutely crazy about each other and got married.   One or both had tempers and roots of bitterness from times past.  You would think,  now that marriage is going to be one to last,  just to find that couple divorced and HATING  each other after a few years and a few children later!  It cannot help but happen and don't read this and think, "Oh, not to us!  She is no psychiatrist and cannot make predictions like that!"  Well, you are right about part of this....I am not a psychiatrist, but the Bible is what predicts this, not me!  "And don't sin by letting anger control you.  Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry.  Leave no such room or foothold for the devil...."  Ephesians 4:26-27.  Why does the word tell us this?  Because anger is the beginning ROOT of offense.  And what comes from roots?  A harvest!!!  That is NOT the harvest I want!!  You are not above the wisdom of God and you are not going to do the opposite of what God says and have His blessing!  God will not go against His word!  This does not only effect relationships,  but your very faith!  Faith works by love!  I apologize this is long, but I ask you stay patient with this definition of the Biblical meaning of love.  It could actually save your marriage, family, church, etc..  1 Corinthians 13:4-8  (Hayford Translation)  "Love suffers long, having patience with imperfect people.  Love is kind, and active in doing good.  Love does not envy; since it is  non-possesive and noncompetitive, it actually wants others to get ahead.  Hence it does not parade itself.  Love has a self-effacing quality ; it is not ostentatious.  Love is not puffed up, treating others arrogantly; it does not behave rudely, but displays good manners and courtesy.  Love does not seek its own, insisting  on its own rights  and demanding precedence; rather it is unselfish.  Love is not provoked; it is not irritable or touchy, rough or hostile, but is graceful under pressure.  Love thinks NO evil; it does not keep an account of wrongs done to it; instead it erases resentments.  Love does not rejoice in iniquity, finding satisfaction in the shortcomings of others and spreading an evil report; rather, it rejoices in the truth, aggresively advertising the good.  Love bears all things, defending and holding other people up.  Love believes the best about others, credits them with good intentions, and is not suspicious.  Love hopes all things, never giving up on people, but affirming their future.  Love endures all things, perservering and remaining loyal to the end."  That is a tall order, my friend, but God NEVER expects or commands us to do anything He does not give us the power to do.  For our own good and the good of others, let us always keep a tight reign on anger and be quick to forgive.  Have a PEACEFUL and blessed day, my precious reader, all day!