Day 16: Do you control your anger or does it control you? - 23 September 2019
In Lincoln, Nebraska, a 19-year-old woman's anger recently nearly cost her her home. The woman got angry at her ex and set his love letters on fire in a room in her home. Afterwards she went to sleep in the room next door. Unknowingly, the carpet caught fire and the whole house started to burn. The fire brigade arrived just in time to prevent the entire house from burning down.
Anger in our lives can be compared to this fire. After the initial outburst, we walk away not realizing the damage we leave behind will have far-reaching consequences. How does your anger affect your children? Your marriage? The atmosphere at work? Or your future relationship with your neighbour?
In Proverbs 19:19, we read: “A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty . . .” Also in Job 5: 2: “Surely resentment destroys the fool, and jealousy kills the simple.” And in Psalm 37: 8 we read, “Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm."
Do you control your anger or does your anger control you? If you know this is an obstacle, let's take it to God. He can set us free and enable us to live with renewed peace that surpasses all understanding. Have a great week. God bless!
Father God, thank you so much that You can set me free from the grip that anger has on me. Lead me through your Holy Spirit in every situation this week and fill me with your peace. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
• Photo: See photo of teen that lid the letters at www.benescke.co.za or on Stories van Hoop on Facebook.
Day 15: ARE YOU GRATEFUL? - 20 September 2019
A woman recently told me what a shock it was for the whole family the day her mother was diagnosed with cancer. As she became weaker, she fell deeper and deeper into the dark hole of depression. Her family knew they had to intervene, but they did not know how to do it. After hearing about the concept of a Grateful Journal, this woman decided to give it a go for her mother.
As adult children, they sat down with her mother and handed her the journal. Their "assignment" to her was to write down at least one thing daily which she is grateful for. It could be anything - big or small. As time progressed, they clearly could sense a change in the way their mother looked at life.
After her mother’s death, they had to go and pack up her house. Here she found the Gratitude Journal. She tells how she sat and cried as she flipped through the book. Some days her mother literally just wrote down one thing that she was grateful for. For instance, that her child came to visit or that she was able to sit in the sun for a few minutes. Other days, her mother was clearly in a good place as she then wrote down a lot of things she was grateful for.
The woman's conclusion was that gratitude is the antidote to depression, dissatisfaction and any other dark emotion that may threaten to overwhelm us.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 we read: “... give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."
When we choose gratitude, we choose to look for the beautiful, good, and positive things God places around us daily. In such moments, it is as if God's light is beginning to drive away the darkness that wants to overwhelm us.
Let's get that journal and make it a habit to choose gratitude daily. There is always something to be thankful for! God bless.
Father God thank you very much that I belong to You. Please help me remove my negative glasses and see You around me. Help me to live gratefully. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Dag 16: BEHEER JY WOEDE OF BEHEER DIT JOU? - 23 September 2019
In Lincolm, Nebraska het ’n 19-jarige vrou se woede amper haar huis gekos. Die vrou het haarself vir haar eks vervies en sy liefdesbriewe in ’n kamer in haar huis aan die brand gesteek. Hierna het sy in die kamer langsaan gaan slaap. Die mat in die vertrek langsaan het vlam gevat en die hele huis het begin brand. Die brandweer het net betyds opgedaag om te verhoed dat die hele huis afbrand.
Woede in ons lewens kan met dié vuur vergelyk word. Ná ’n uitbarsting stap ons weg sonder om te besef dat die skade wat ons agterlaat verrykende gevolge kan hê. Watter effek het jou woede op jou kinders? Jou huwelik? Jou werksomgewing? Of jou verhouding met jou bure?
In Spreuke 19:19 lees ons: “'n Opvlieënde mens boet vir wat hy doen. . .” Ook in Job 5:2 staan geskryf: “Verbitterdheid maak 'n dwaas dood, onbeheerstheid vernietig 'n onverstandige.” En in Psalm 37:8 lees ons: “Moenie kwaad word nie, laat staan die woede... dit bring net ellende.”
Beheer jy jou woede of beheer jou woede jou? As jy weet dat dit ’n struikelblok is, kom ons neem dit na God. Hy kan ons vrymaak en in staat stel om met hernude vrede te leef wat alle verstand te bowe gaan. Sterkte!
Vader God, baie dankie dat U my kan vrymaak van die houvas wat woede op my het. Lei my deur u Heilige Gees in elke situasie die week en vul my met U vrede. Ek vra dit in die Naam van Jesus Christus. Amen.
Sien foto van die tiener van Nebraska by www.benescke.co.za of op Stories van Hoop op Facebook.
Dag 15: LEEF JY DANKBAAR? - 20 September 2019
’n Vrou vertel my onlangs watter geweldige skok dit vir die hele familie was die dag toe haar ma met kanker gediagnoseer is. Soos haar ma swakker geword het, het sy al dieper in die donker gat van depressie begin val. As gesin moes hulle ingryp, maar hul het nie geweet hoe nie. Die vrou hoor toe van ’n Dankbaarheidsjoernaal wat vir iemand in ’n soortgelyke situasie baie gehelp het.
As volwasse kinders het hulle met haar ma gaan sit en vir haar die joernaal oorhandig. Hulle “opdrag” aan haar was om elke dag ten minste een ding neer te skryf waarvoor sy dankbaar is. Dit kan enigiets wees - groot of klein. Die vrou getuig dat hul na daardie dag ’n duidelike verandering in haar ma se gemoedstoestand kon optel.
Ná haar ma se dood moes die kinders haar huis gaan oppak. Hier het sy die Dankbaarheidsjoernaal gevind. Sy vertel hoe sy gesit en huil het toe sy deur die boek blaai. Sommige dae was daar letterlik net een ding wat haar ma neergeskryf het. Byvoorbeeld haar ma is dankbaar dat haar kind kom kuier het of dat sy ’n paar minute in die son kon sit. Ander dae was haar ma duidelik op ’n goeie plek aangesien sy sommer ’n klomp goed neergeskryf het.
Die vrou se slotsom was dat dankbaarheid die teenpool vir depressie, onvergenoegdheid en enige ander donker emosie is wat mag dreig om ’n mens te oorweldig.
In 1 Tessalonisense 5:18 lees ons: “Wees in alle omstandighede dankbaar, want dit is wat God in Christus Jesus van julle verwag.”
Wanneer ons dankbaarheid kies, kies ons om te soek na die mooi, goed en positiewe dinge wat God daagliks rondom ons plaas. In sulke oomblikke is dit asof God se lig die duister wat ons wil oorweldig begin verdryf.
Kom ons kry daardie joernaal en maak dit ’n gewoonte om daagliks dankbaarheid te kies. Al is dit daagliks net een ding - daar is altyd iets om voor dankbaar te wees! Sterkte.
Vader God baie dankie dat ek aan U mag behoort. Help my asseblief om my negatiewe bril af te haal en U raak te sien rondom my. Help my om met dankbaarheid te leef. Ek vra dit in die Naam van Jesus Christus. Amen.