You can live in stressful times without losing your mind! Jesus did, and so can you.
If you’re struggling and things have gotten you down, I have good news for you: You can get your joy and your song back and be cheerful again!
It’s hard to be happy and joyful when you’re focused on the world around you. It’s easier to be angry, frustrated and worried like everyone else. But it’s your choice.
Anger and fear cause stress, making life challenging. There are enough issues in the world today to keep you angry and/or afraid for the rest of your life. But that’s not the way God intended you to live.
Jesus dealt with anger and fear with one command, “Let not your heart be troubled (aggravated, irritated, annoyed, perturbed) neither let it be afraid,” (John 14:27). Troubled can be defined as being angry and to be afraid is to be in fear. You don’t have to be a slave to negative emotions and circumstances, allowing what’s happening around you to dictate your mood.
You don’t have to say everything you feel, think or see. Venting your frustration won’t solve the problem and could make it worse.
Anger controls us through our words. If you’re given to fits of anger or a bad temper, you may not be able to stop those feelings from coming to you, but you can stop speaking them. You are the master of your words.
Practicing restraint with your words will affect every part of your life. James calls the man who does not stumble in his words the perfect man, or more accurately, the mature man (James 3:2). One of the marks of a mature Christian is that they control their words.
You can’t choose your problems, but you can choose what you say about them. Saying everything you feel and see keeps you on an emotional roller coaster, and circumstances will determine your mood—good or bad.
You will have times when you experience anger. It’s normal and happens to everyone, but it doesn’t have to control you. There is a difference between feeling angry and letting anger control you. You can control your emotions.
You don’t have to weigh in on every issue or controversy. Life is too short. There are so many problems and injustices, you could be mad, preoccupied, fussing, fuming and protesting every moment of your life! That’s no way to live. You only have so much time, attention and emotional capital to spend in one lifetime. Use it wisely.
Be jealous with your time and thoughts. Make sure what you think about and get involved in is worth your time and attention. You are valuable. Stop being angry and spending your valuable time complaining and criticizing things that don’t really matter in the long run.
In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer—you are an overcomer! You can overcome anger with good cheer.
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This was a “typical” Monday for me. Another day and start of the week that I’m away from my job (Police Officer), due to an unforeseen storm in my Family’s life. Woke up, prayed, but still frustrated. I snapped at my wife, who goes above and beyond for me and our Family, and immediately regretted it. Then opened my emails and read this. Thank you Mr. Fritz for this. I needed it. I wished I had read it earlier but regardless I should know better. This simply helped me clear my thoughts and realize just how wrong I was for letting things get the best of me, and more importantly how blessed I truly am. Thank you again and God bless.