The Secret to Not Blowing It

Pausing for a moment can spare you a lifetime of regret.If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. James 1:5Left on my own, I react to situations, conversations, and confrontations out of my emotions. Hasty. Rash. Impulsive. Reckless.Conflict stirs up emotions in me that are so powerful and consuming that I am often blindsided by them. Involuntarily, as the beating of heart, my emotions come rushing in, and if I am not on guard, they take over. Worry, fear, anger, jealousy, and even hopelessness.A teenager is late for curfew and worry washes over me leaving me paralyzed. My husband says the wrong thing and I lash out in anger. The job interview doesn't pan out and we are financially doomed in my mind. I read my children's text and jump to conclusions assuming the worst.God instructs us to be still, to come to him, to seek first his kingdom, to ask for wisdom. He has the answers, the comfort, the peace, the hope we need to respond to every conflict.Reacting is our fearful self trying to control, but responding is letting the Holy Spirit have control. In order to respond to situations instead of reacting, we have to pause long enough to seek God. It's so hard in the moment to remember that, but losing control and satisfying our emotional ego hurts someone and does not glorify our Savior.Pausing to give control to the Lord can save a relationship. Taking a moment to step away from a conflict and seek God's wisdom can bring about true change. When emotions come crashing in like a tidal wave, we can stop, fall to our knees and call out to Jesus. Instead of being overcome with despair, we can receive his perspective and rise up in hope and joy.When we choose to pause, we are surrendering our emotions that threaten to cloud our spirit, and receiving the wisdom of God. We can easily get swept away by our emotions and carried to a place of regret. God offers us a way out. He has given us a spirit of self-control, and he is only a prayer away.Pause today.