It’s my natural tendency to overreact! I want to shout, “What?…you’ve got to be kidding!” before I’ve heard the whole story. There’s something in me that flies off the handle when the news isn’t to my liking. Instead of listening, I tend to react before I hear all the facts. It’s taken me years to monitor this flaw, and it rears its ugly head from time to time even today. My husband often asked me to be still until he finished talking! I eventually got the message.
It’s so easy to become enraged with injustice. I’m always ready to fight for my family’s good. I’m wired to fix these things. No one will touch my babies! But the Lord showed me how my reactions could actually stop the flow of conversation. Why would they want to share their heart with me when I’m on a rampage? To continually interrupt with my opinion was disheartening. If I refused to hear the whole story before I responded, they might refuse to tell me more. It was time for a change…a transformation only the Holy Spirit could bring about in my life. I found help in the Bible as I read about the positive power of quiet trust.
In quietness and confidence is your strength. Isaiah 30:15
When I feel anxious or disturbed, the Holy Spirit reminds me to turn to Him. He assures me of who I am in Christ. He helps me turn my eyes toward Jesus. He reminds me of my limitless resources. He causes me to recall the benefits of knowing Christ. If I take three deep breaths and purposely calm myself down, I find confidence and strength to endure, to trust, and to wait for God to act. He becomes my Quieter.
He will quiet you with his love. Zephaniah 3:17
The Bible tells me there’s a love banner over me. It’s the standard by which I’m known, my family line, my heritage. God’s love is in me. I am in Him. His love causes me to trust Him with an unfeigned faith. When I trust, I am calm. He soothes my anxious heart. He becomes my Quieter.
The effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. Isaiah 32:17
I have learned that the role of the Holy Spirit in me is to quiet my soul. My flesh wants to recoil, strike back. It reacts with anger over injustice. It rises up when someone I love is hurt. But the Holy Spirit in me wants me to be calm, to wait for His righteous heart to become mine, to wait for Him to avenge. I’m still learning to ponder a situation before I respond, to wait until I hear all the facts. And you know, Scripture is true. That quiet response brings strength to my heart. It floods me with God-confidence as He becomes my Quieter once again.
The unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit is of great worth in God’s sight. I Peter 3:4
The best make-up and clothing I can put on is a gentle and quiet spirit. The Bible says such an attitude actually makes women beautiful. We often pursue outward tools of beauty, but here we’re given the secret of lasting, inner beauty that reflects on the outside. A quiet spirit.
Do your children or family members avoid sharing their heart with you? Do you overreact before they’re finished talking? Allow the Holy Spirit to quiet you with His love. It’s one of His names…He’s become My Quieter, and with a little pursuit, I know He’ll be yours, too!
Wonderful…Karen I most certainly see that love banner over you! You are so right about being quite and listening first. In times of turmoil I struggle with just going to God first, too many times my response is to self protect and just take over myself….yes, and we are working on this flaw together :)
Love your writing!