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What Your Reactions Say about You

February 3, 2016
How do you respond to our family after a bad day?

Reactions are not pre-meditated, planned, or logical. They’re emotional responses, showing what’s inside, who you really are.

Circumstances do not control your reactions.

Growing up the saying “the devil made me do it” was popular. It eliminated my responsibility. I could do what I wanted and blame the devil. Today, we are “more educated,” instead we blame our parents and our upbringing for how we are.
But are we responsible?
Why disciple our children, if what they did, was not their fault?

What does the Bible say?

Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.”

 “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.” Luke 6:45.

What treasures you store in your heart determines whether you are good or evil. (I’m not taking saved or not, we all are sinners. “There is none good, no not one.”)

So, I am responsible. Even when words fly out of my mouth faster than I can catch them? Yes!

How do I stop hurtful words?
Some people try to stop them at their lips. They try to have more will-power and self-control.
Does it work? No. The Bible even says that it won’t. “His mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.”

I don’t stop the hurtful words at my lips, but at my heart.
I must change how I think.

How?
By “taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ…” II Corinthians 10:5.

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.…” Philippians 2:5.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...” Romans 12:2

We change how we think. We do not dwell on how we are mistreated, or undeserving of wrong. We fill our hearts with what is “true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8 paraphrased.

What fills your heart?
Have you heard the expression, ‘dirty old man’? Did he just happen to become that? Or was that what he thought about all his life, but now he isn’t hindered by what people think?

What is filling your heart today? It is preparing you for hardship. How will you respond?
 

Let me apply this further…
Do you enjoy your husband?
Or do you wish that he was someone different?
Are you angry with your husband? He is late again. Why won’t he help you? Why doesn’t he discipline the children the way you do? Why doesn’t he help with the children more?

You are becoming a whiny woman…with no good in her heart. You are discontent with your husband. That is how you will respond when he is late from work, when he doesn’t do something like you would do. You will respond with what you’ve filled your mind.
Do you want a happy marriage?
Then you must change your thoughts that you think about your husband.

You cannot berate him in your mind, and serve him with your hands. They work together. Jesus would say, “You hypocrite!”
Change your thoughts, so you can help him.

Are you his helpmeet?
“For as she thinks within herself, so she is.”
Who are you, really?
Time will tell.

 



Displaying 1 comment

Boy, you sure hit the nail on the head! I've known this for a long time, ever since I read that book we've talked of, but unfortunately, sometimes we need a refresher course! Thanks so much, this was excellent.

I write about what matters...to you---
women, wives and moms---
about your family, faith and future.
I write about what's hard, what helps and what heals.
I show you how it's done. And not done.
I hold your hand as you find what matters to the Savior.
And let go of those things that mattered to you, but not to Him.
I write about what matters...to Him.
               Sonya Contreras

Author of Biblical fiction, married to my best friend, and challenged by eight sons’ growing pains as I write about what matters.

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