At one point in my life the title of this article was a tough pill to swallow. I have to say controlling your emotions really is a huge part of your day. For me having coffee and then reading my bible does prepare me for my day, but thats just the beginning.
I have to remind myself how I react to others through out my day, that’s the difficult part. Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes is also difficult to do. Trying to remind yourself to think then respond is also a difficult, especially if you are the person who has to have the last word. That was me! Still is on some occasions, don’t judge, I’m a work in progress. Thank you for God’s grace.
My experience with this has been to always fall short. I would always react over my emotions then think back to and kick myself for my words. Having to apologize for your words later is so difficult. “The Bible teaches us to always believe the best of every person.” Joyce Meyer I use to have the absolute hardest time to do this. I was so upset and angry with everything in life, I really didn’t know how to manage it all.
From no longer going my path, but having to trust God’s way and not my way. I couldn’t believe it, but I threw an adult tantrum. I was couldn’t believe I had allowed myself to get so worked up and upset and then take it out on others.
BUT GOD!!!
I started to really focus on my thoughts around March. Yes, it was just a few months ago, I recently obtained a lot of time on my hands, but I can really see a difference in how I think and how I react to people and their attitudes. I don’t let people get to me.
Learning how to think according to the Word of God is harder than you may think, especially when you aren’t used to doing it.
These are the tips I used to get me on track with this hard and difficult task:
- “Living Beyond Your Feelings“ by Joyce Meyer, this book really opened my eyes to seeing things a different way. I absolutely love this book and I do refer back to it a lot. Her book outlines how to think about others first, thinking how Christ wants you to think, how making decisions based on your emotions is never a good idea, and it uses the Bible scriptures to show you how God expects you to act as well. I refer to this book because it makes me check my thoughts and what comes out my mouth when something isn’t going my way.
- Get a journal Always document your progress, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Make notes on what happened to cause you to act a certain way or say something that you maybe shouldn’t have said. I know when I write my occurrences down and then think how I reacted, it opens my eyes to a whole new attitude. It is much easier to walk away or not say anything at all then to have to apologize later for it. Also it gives you a chance to reflect on your progress and see how far you’ve come. That can be an amazing feeling. Reward yourself, you’re growing and maturing into what God wants you to be.
- Schedule your time with God. I can not tell how important it is to keep a time marked on your calendar. This frees up your time to really focus on yourself and your time with God. What better person to talk to about yourself than God? He is always there to listen and offer guidance.
- Get you some study cards. Writing out your favorite scriptures and reading them throughout your day really helps, and it gives you a chance to look at your day. I have found that reading scripture always helps me get through my day and it increases my happiness too. I try to reflect on God’s word daily and through out my day even more.
- Take one day at a time. We all make mistakes, so don’t be too hard on yourself. Remember to focus on today, tomorrow has its own worries. No one is perfect, and God knows your short comings. Continue to ask God for his forgiveness and he will continue to help you. Remember God will never leave you nor forsake you. Put your trust, hope, worries, difficulties in his hands and you will see a difference in yourself.
Be blessed.
Coffee with Mrs. King 