Over-reaction!
Over-reaction! Have you ever regretted how you responded to a situation? Often we feel the ‘red’ rise in our face … or the heat rise in our voice. When one Bible character heard about the injustice against his people, he was “very angry.” It doesn’t say he was angry. It says “very angry.”
I am sure many of us have overreacted to situations. We allowed our emotions get the better of us. We said or did things we would later regret. The reason was that we reacted without thinking. We were simply responding to our emotions. However, before he acted, he took counsel with himself. It was a good thing when we consider how angry he was. Acting on anger (rage) towards others rarely ends well. It does not mean that Nehemiah did not have a right to be angry. He was rightfully angry. But it was important to thoughtfully respond to his anger. Anger is not a bad thing in itself. It is how we respond to that anger.
How can you step back from your emotions to consider a situation? It may be taking a deep breath. It may be going to God in prayer. It may be taking some time to journal. It may be discussing the situation with a confidant or prayer partner.
Where have you acted rashly and need to seek repentance? Often the best course of action is no action. Listen first. Think through the situation. Then pray for God to guide your actions and settle your spirit. Ultimately, our desire should be that what we do would be the thing that brings him glory.
Think about it!
