React well

There are always going to be people around us who get on our nerves, annoy us, upset us and make us mad. There are definitely people in my life who make me feel all of the above in about a thirty second time span! My problem is that I can get wound up, frustrated and angry quite easily. Not immediately but if someone is persistently trying to push my buttons then it won't take long for me to snap! This isn't a good quality to have and it's something I've prayed about and felt convicted on quite a lot and it will work for maybe an hour or two but then I'll revert back to getting frustrated and angry.

I was praying about it last night in fact and was at the point of going 'well God what else can I do?! It's a natural reaction!' And into my head popped the words 'Jesus said nothing'

When Jesus was being tried before Pilate with false accusations being hurled at him, for a decision that would decide whether he lived or died, he said nothing!

'Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent.... When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.' Matthew 26:62-63 and 27:12-14


I think most of the time the hardest response for us to give is silence. We automatically want to express our anger/hurt/frustration somehow be it through shouting, sarcasm, being rude, or doing something like storming out the room. Our reaction is very rarely to stay put and say nothing, yet that's precisely what Jesus did. And actually I think that's the best way for us to demonstrate love to that person. It's the reaction they don't expect, and maybe through it they will change what they are doing and the way they act but if not we are still showing them God's love and that's all he asks of us.

'Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone - especially those in the family of faith' Galatians 6:10


This verse just sums up what I've already said. We need to do good to everyone, no matter how they treat us or make us feel because that's the real test of character. It won't be easy, it goes against human nature and what the world teaches and I know I can pretty much guarantee that I will fail once in a while, but hopefully I'll succeed more often than I fail with God's help!