Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
I think that I need to have this scripture tattooed on the inside of my eyelids so that I see it all the time.
I don’t know about you but I NEED to see it all the time.
Raising children can be a war zone and dealing with attitudes can be hard work. I am constantly reminding our younger ones to follow instructions and work dilligently and complete their school work.
Sometimes they just don’t get it and yes it is frustrating.
That is why I need to remember this scripture.
I tend to be harsh with my younger children when they don’t listen and when I have to constantly remind them to listen. The more they don’t listen the louder I get, and the louder I get the more stubborn and hurt and angry they get.
I think you get the picture and it isn’t pretty, anger and frustration is never pretty and it isn’t the way we should be.
So how can I change???
When I started looking there were plenty of scriptures to help me.
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Psalm 50:14 And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.
Maybe, just maybe if I surrender my days to God, I am sure, no, I know that God will deliver me from my harshness and frustration.
Here is my prayer for the morning…
Lord, please help me to surrender my days to you. Please give me a gentle and quiet spirit. Please help me to stay calm and remember to think about what I say and how I say it before I do.
All this I ask in Jesus name. Amen
It’s always a challenge for me to respond with kind words when I am frustrated. I always have to remind myself to take a breath and think before I respond.
Thank you Heidi, I so agree, it is always such a challenge. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. Have a great week. Blessings
Why is this so hard? I’m trying to live by this rule – to have a meek and quiet spirit and to teach my children the same. Thank you for this reminder.
Thank you Jennifer for your comment and for sharing your heart. Have a great week. Blessings
I think this is a struggle that all those who involved in the care of young children struggle with. It seems there are so many needs, so many questions, and so many difficult behaviors that it can be at times frustrating. I try to remember though how the Lord feels about me, as I am His child, and how even though He speaks gently and kind to me many times, yet there are times He needs to speak loudly, and maybe even somewhat harshly through circumstances to get my attention, yet it is in love. It doesn’t give us reason to be mean and unkind, but sometimes love is “tough” in order to get the job done. Blessings and hugs to you today! 🙂
Thank you for your comment and understanding, you are right, “tough” love is sometimes required to get the job done. Blessings
so good I’m going to print it out and tape it too my dresser mirror!
Thanks for that Heather, I think I should print it out too. Thanks for stopping by. Blessings
I so needed to see this today. I may need to tattoo the whole prayer inside my eyelids!
Thank you Steph for your comment and I am glad this helped. Have a great week. Blessings
Those are all great verses to keep in mind when the Littles are making me feel like a crazy person.
Exactly Leanne, I so agree. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great week. Blessings
The tongue is set on fire from hell, who can tame it? James… Yes it is so hard to use kind words with our kids sometimes! This is definitely something I struggle with. Joining you in prayer that I can hold my tongue more often. Visiting from #tellhisstory
Thank you Kortney for joining me in prayer over this issue. It is comforting to know I am not alone. Blessings
We’ve all been there while raising our children. Let’s face it, they bring out the best in us and the worse. I have to often refer back to the book of James on taming my tongue. What is wonderful though, is He forgive us each and every time! We need to do the same and try, and try again to be more like Him!
Thank you so much Michelle for your comment and thoughts on our forgiveness, such wonderful thoughts too. Blessings
Love this post … Such a great reminder, especially your closing prayer ❤️
Thank you Beth. Blessings
I also need to pray daily for a gently and quiet spirit. Thank you for sharing this reminder on the Art of Home-Making Mondays.
Thank you Jes for your thoughts and comment. Blessings
I am also learning to be as calm as possible!
So hard but getting there.
God Bless
Sometimes it seems that we take one step forward and two back, but we are so blessed to be able to try, try again. Thanks for your comment Ifeoma, Blessings
Such truth in your thoughts and Scripture passages. And I also need to remind myself of these truths with my husband since I don’t have my children at home any more. But I don’t want to make blunt or thoughtless remarks to him.
Thank you Gail, I think this goes across the board with whom we speak, husbands and children. Thanks for your comment and for stopping by. Blessings
Love the closing prayer. Very calming.
Thank you Suzi for your kind comment and for stopping by. Blessings
Thanks for sharing this scripture! I have been in a ‘war zone’ dealing with my toddler and baby… the toddler especially. I find praying throughout the day helps!
Thank you so much for your comment I appreciate what you are going through Aspen. Prayer really helps us stay focused and calm. Thanks for stopping by. Blessings
This is such a lovely reminder. I tend to have a quick tongue and it drives me crazy because I have instant regret for what I say.
Thanks for sharing and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop.
Wishing you a lovely day.
xoxo
Sounds like we are the same Jennifer, I too have a quick tongue and then the regret comes. Thankfully we serve an awesome God. Thanks for hosting and stopping by and commenting. Have a great weekend. Blessings
I love this! I’ve so needed this this past week because my three year old is being… three. He’s decided that he wants to stay home all day, only wear pajamas and Elmo slippers, eat nothing but granola bars, and that if I need to go somewhere (especially an essential place like picking up his older brother who was sick and desperately needed to come home) he is perfectly capable of being left home alone. I beg to differ and this usually means that we’ve dissolved into a puddle of tears… I know these days will pass, but it is so easy when I’m tired and worn down to not be as gentle as I should be. Thanks so much for the encouragement! There are many things so much more important than Elmo slippers 24/7!
-Sara, uncommongrace.net
Thank you Sara for sharing a glimpse into your life with us. I agree with you that there are more important things than Elmo slippers 24/7 and I also know how easy it is to be harsh when we are tired. I pray that God will give you extra energy to help you deal with your little ones. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend. Blessings
Dear Terri,
It is hard living with other sinners like us, isn’t it! 🙂
I love Prov. 15.1. It reminds me that it isn’t about just not yelling or saying something harsh. It’s about giving a soft answer. Eph. 4.29 says to put off any unwholesome words and put on (replace them) with words that are edifying, timely and filled with grace. I have found it helps to focus on what I should do instead of what I shouldn’t … that soft answer.
Thanks for a great reminder and thanks for linking up at Mondays @ Soul Survival. Blessings, my friend. Pinning on my Mondays @ Board.
Thank you so much Donna for sharing the Ephesians scripture with me, that is a good one to have on hand as well. Oh to be edifying and grace filled when times are tough. Thanks for hosting and for taking the time in your busy schedule to comment. Have a great weekend. Blessings to you and yours.
Oh boy, do I need your words today! Thanks for the reminder. I’m going to focus on Psalm 50:14 today. I like how not only when we call on God in our trouble will He deliver us, but He will also help help us to glorify Him when we are obedient and doing what is right. Thanks for your words.
Thank you so much Maren for sharing your thoughts with me and for your encouraging comment. Blessings
Wow, do I ever need this! Like you, I homeschool, and I find the volume going up with Algebra! “DIVIDE THE BOTTOM INTO THE TOP AND PUT THE REMAINDER OVER THE DENOMINATOR!!!!!!!!” Probably not the most effective approach to teaching math, right? Reading you today at Fellowship Friday, and thankful for your reminder that a soft answer turns away wrath — but a harsh word stirs up anger (and doesn’t help much with fractions, either . . .).
Oh Michele you definitely made me chuckle, sometimes I teach math like that too, actually more the learning to read part and you are right, harsh words do not help. Sounds like we both need the reminder. Thank you so much for your comment and for stopping by today and really blessing me. Have a great weekend and all the best with your Algebra. Blessings
May we each know and have the gentle and quiet spirit in and about us. May our words be filled with the love of Christ.
Oh Linda that, I’m sure, is what we are all after, to have a gentle and quiet spirit and for our homes to feel the same. Thanks for your comment and prayer for us all. Blessings
That’s so true. Parenting can be so hard and it’s easy to forget that our priorities are not their priorities. Sometimes a little humor helps too, and honestly I think you remember something said in a joking way more than something said in an angry way.
I think you are right Adrian, humour really helps and can alleviate the stress. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and for stopping by. Blessings
I needed this today. I feel like all I do sometimes is yell. I am going to pray about it and try to focus on the versus you shared. Thank you.
Thanks so much Mary for sharing your thoughts with us. I think it is important to focus on God and His word to help us remain calm, and I need to remind myself too so much to do this. Have a great weekend. Blessings
When you find a way to tattoo something on the inside of your eyeball, let me know where to go. I feel that about the scripture, be swift to hear and slow to speak. Just when I think I am doing well in this department, some struggle hits me and I get that verse re-versed. It’s an ongoing work for sure. Loved this post.
Definitely Betty, I will let you know, but until then maybe we should just memorise the scripture passage instead :-). Yes I am like you too, it goes well for so long and then bang it is reversed. Thanks for your comment and for sharing your thoughts with us. Blessings
What a great prayer to start your day. Proverbs 15:1 is also the perfect verse to remind us of the power of words. Thank you for sharing at The Weekend Brew.
Thank you Mary for stopping by and for your comment, thank you also for hosting. Blessings
It is very difficult to do this all the time. Luckily God does not ask us to do this. He knows we are imperfect and is forgiving. We must also be forgiving of ourselves.
You are so right Kara, sometimes the hardest person to forgive is ourselves, thanks for the reminder and thanks for stopping by. Blessings