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One of the things that we tend to struggle with is giving in to anger or emotion or retribution because we are provoked by another. It’s easy to make excuses and blame others, but with Christ in us, can we really say, “Tom made me do it?” or whoever it is that you believe caused your mis-step? If we are to be a reflection of Jesus, can someone else’s words really make us look bad? Should we really stand on our own pride and ego if we are to be Christ-like in our ways?

This is one of the most difficult things to do as Satan knows we are sinful in nature and therefore we are going to be prone to be temporarily blinded when someone gets in our face and calls us out and we respond by lashing out verbally or physically as we sense a threat or damage to our pride. As Jesus told us in Matthew 5, it’s not eye for an eye, but turn the other cheek. It’s almost impossible to comprehend when someone is trying to get us riled up, but the one thing that ends this is to let them have their stupid way and eventually they leave to go pick on someone else, or they come to realize how stupid they are acting and just stop. It goes much farther than giving into their way and trying to fight back.

Just know that Proverbs 27:3 really is true:

Stone is heavy and sand a burden,
but provocation by a fool is heavier than both.

The weight of publicly feeling like we are being made to look like a fool or the butt of someone’s jokes or being asked to respond to the idiotic question, “What are you gonna do about it?” is really heavy. However, the weight of giving into the provoking from another is an even bigger burden and it sets a never-ending trap to always respond the same way. Be above the urge to play Satan’s game and just stop. Let them have their fun or appear to have the upper hand. In reality, as you have Christ on your side and his love in your heart, you will prevail. It’s a matter of trusting in God or trusting in the greatest liar Satan. The choice is yours.

Have you ever had a time--maybe even now--where things seem to be closing in on you and you don’t know what to do? You question why you of all people should have to deal with such a thing? After everything you’ve been through, you ask, “When will it all end?”

As difficult as it is going to sound, I’d ask you to just step back and believe that you are going to get through it. Whether it is a threat of something due to not having enough money or losing a job while you have debt or struggling with temptations…whatever it is, just pause and give it all to the Lord. Tell him that you’re believing this isn’t for you and that you will rise above it by trusting that God has bigger and better plans for you and that he intends to prosper you rather than harm you just like it is revealed in Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV):

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Don’t let the deceit of Satan the liar get the best of you. All sorts of calamity may appear to be raining down upon your head or your house, but do not fear. Stuff is always going to happen around you, but you have been given faith in order to have hope and know that there is always a positive outcome in the works of the Lord.

Reflect today on the words of Proverbs 26:2 this time from The Message translation:

You have as little to fear from an undeserved curse
as from the dart of a wren or the swoop of a swallow.

Believe the curse is undeserved because God would not cause you harm! Treat it as if you were being descended upon by a tiny little sparrow. Obviously, the much-smaller sparrow would not intend you to be its target so you would not be concerned. In Christ, you are bigger than anything any devil would throw at you. It’s time to take a stand and profess in the name of Christ that you are not going to give in to the lies and fear and the stress of this world. Trust in God and he will see you through anything. Even though the sky is dark and the clouds look ominous, you may see the light of day before you see any rain.

Have you ever noticed that there are some traits of people you associate with that have become of your own personality? Like if you are around people that have no patience you tend to start losing patience too? Unfortunately, who we keep company with will ultimately influence us. Sometimes it can influence us negatively in that we begin emulating their negative traits, but sometimes it can influence us positively in that after observing their negative behavior we commit not to do the same things.

Verses 24 & 25 (New Living Translation):

24Don’t befriend angry people
or associate with hot-tempered people,
25or you will learn to be like them
and endanger your soul.

It’s really hard to know that if we are around people that can influence us negatively that we will have the wisdom and resolve to not start acting out their negative behavior. Therefore, please be careful when you are around others frequently that do the wrong things. Please be in prayer for yourself constantly and also pray for them to have the Lord breakthrough the negative behaviors.

Is there someone you know that needs to be broken of being hot-tempered or is there someone you know that you probably shouldn’t be around so much because of their hot-tempered nature? Won’t you take the time to pray about these relationships and seek higher ground from the Lord?

Proverbs 19:15:

Lazy people sleep a lot,
and idle people will go hungry.

So often we are asleep to all that is going on around us. We see things happening in the lives of others and not in our own and we get resentful and jealous. Come on now, we’ve all done it! In reality, if we would just take action and actively pursue what we are believing God for, we could see our miracles happen. When we are idle, we go hungry.

A lot of us believe that if we pray for something that God is obligated to answer. Well, he’s not. However, rather than sit back and watch for God to respond, many times he is already moving in answer to prayer, but we won’t initiate the response through our action. Sometimes he wants to bless us as a fruit from our own cultivation. We need to invest some effort in order to reap a harvest. He won’t just drop fruit into our laps without helping in the work of growing it.

Is there something you’re believing God to do on your behalf, but are still waiting on the response? Know that God may be waiting on you to take action believing he is moving already in order to see the blessing be revealed. Don’t give up and don’t give in. Stand firm and take steps towards your blessing today…God will meet you there!