THINK Before You Speak in Anger

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CURRENT TEACHING SERIES Building My Life on Values That Last

THINK Before You Speak in Anger By Rick Warren — Nov 25, 2015 “Stupid people express their anger openly, but sensible people are patient and hold it back.” (Proverbs 29:11 GNT) Anger confounds many people in our world today. We simply don’t know how to handle our anger like we have in the past. One of the Bible’s simplest yet most profound answers for our anger comes in Proverbs 29:11: “Stupid people express their anger openly, but sensible people are patient and hold it back” (GNT). Think before you speak. Delay is a tremendous remedy for anger. You don’t need to delay indefinitely. If you’ve got an issue you need to deal with, you need to do so. Anger delayed indefinitely becomes bitterness. That’s worse than anger. Bitterness is always a sin; anger isn’t. If you respond impulsively, you tend to respond in anger. If you wait to talk about whatever conflict you’re dealing with, you’ll be more rational and reasonable when you do. The longer you hold your temper, the better your response will be. Give yourself time to think. When conflict arises and you give yourself time to think, what should you think about? Consider these five questions: T: Is it truthful? Is what I’m about to say the truth? H: Is it helpful? Or will it simply harm the other person? I: Is it inspirational? Does it build up or does it tear down? N: Is it necessary? If it’s not necessary, why do I need to say it? K: Is it kind? THINK before you speak. Reflect before you react. It’ll slow down your anger every time. PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick>> Talk It Over Think back through a recent argument. Would more time before you responded have helped the situation? Which question in the THINK acronym is most likely to be helpful to you when you’re angry? What’s the biggest challenge to giving yourself more time before responding when you’re angry? Today’s Scripture “...honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:20, NLT) SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS Honor the Lord with Your Body Scripture says that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, and we are to honor the Lord with our bodies. How do we do that? By taking care of it, respecting it, and treating it as valuable. That means you use your body to bring Him glory. It means standing against temptation. It means getting proper rest and nourishment. When you take care of your temple, you are saying, “Lord, thank You for this gift of life. I am choosing to take care of myself so that I can serve You with my whole heart, mind and strength.” As we enter into this holiday season, remember to honor the Lord by taking care of your body. Enjoy the treasures of the season, but don’t allow the hustle and bustle of the season to rob you of simply enjoying the blessing of your friends, family and loved ones. Honor the Lord with your body and walk in His blessings. A Prayer for Today “Father, today I choose to honor You with my body. Thank You for the gift of life. Thank You for empowering me against temptation. Show me Your plan for me today so that I can glorify You in everything I do in Jesus’ name. Amen.”