Dang, I Hate That!
Philippians 2:14-15, Devotional #3

In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you. You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them.
Philippians 2:14-15

Father, I spilled a cup of coffee on my desk, soaked the papers and keyboard . . . agh! After that fact, after that accident, I have the opportunity to control something . . . my response, the words that flowed out of my mouth, my actions as to whether I would storm about huffing and puffing in anger as materials are gathered to clean the mess up. What others might see is a mess due to spilt coffee and my verbal and physical response to the mess.

There are so so many things that happen to us each day that we have no control over. However, in everything that happens to us or around us, we do have the ability to control our response. Maybe an initial response or reaction might be anger or panic or whatever. However, we can 'count to ten' and therefore control our response. I know there are too many times that I pop off in some reactive way that's not positive or helpful. Unfortunately that's more what may happen at home. Dang, I hate that!

One aspect of the fruit of the Spirit is self-control and all the fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness: dang, I need this fruit. Father, sometimes what sprouts forth from this tree of me is rotten fruit. Dang, I hate that!

And so, I pray that the Holy Spirit will come and bring Your fruit in its totality into our lives and flow forth so that others see You. And thank You, thank You, thank You that when the bad stuff comes forth we can know it, repent, be forgiven and press on toward pious responses. Come Holy Spirit.

Thank You, Father, Amen. Danny/Dad