Red Button Alert

I’m just going to write this down and get it out of the way but I don’t think it will come as much of a surprise to those who know me.
I have a temper and there are certain buttons one can push, if they dare, that will set the emotions contributing to that temper in motion. This is a mystery to me ~ why push the big red button?

Honestly, there’s a whole myriad of warnings and disclaimers I could provide to those who think pushing the button might not result in the temper rearing its ugly head, but still it happens. We all have those buttons that invoke the worst of us and here is mine. Dishonesty.

It comes in all forms; from blatant to white lie, from calculated to unintended, from distortion to deceit. My reaction tends to be pretty reliable regardless of the severity.

I could quote the many, many verses in the bible that admonish dishonesty and the consequences that arise as a result but, suffice it to say, we’ve all seen those results anyway. Maybe from a lie we told, maybe from a lie told to us… it never ends well. A pastor whom I hold in the highest esteem recently said in a conversation that “..the truth always comes out” and I believe that from the very depths of my heart.

The truth may be harder to say and harder to hear than a lie but truth has a peculiar way of uniting with grace to bring enlightening and peace to both the speaker and the listener.

That’s what I think, anyway.
But this particular blog is more about how we react. About how I react, specifically. The tendency to become personally offended is off the charts and the limitation I seem to have to reel in my temper do not make for a match made in heaven.
This week, I’m going to spend my time in the Word looking up anger and see how God wants me to handle it ~ being angry is not the sin. In fact, injustice and different things in our day to day lives should make us angry! But how are we channeling that anger.. is it constructive? Is it hurtful or spiteful? Is it controlled or turbulent? Is it warranted?
If you happen to read this entry, I ask for your prayer in this regard. I need constructive anger and not explosive rage. I am unable to control the dishonesty other than to attempt to weed out those who repeatedly lie to me, that is very clear. BUT I can control my reactions, right? I can take ownership of my attitude!

Remember, this is the season of growing and learning…and learning…and growing…and learning…and growing…

Thank you for the prayers! ~Amy