Scripture of the Day: Psalm 4:4
In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.
Well, apparently mention of sin is what is catching my eyes on this bible read through! In my One Year Bible Companion, I am reading Genesis, Psalms, Proverbs and Matthew. As I read, I am making notes of things that stick out and am hoping that for quite a while my posts will go along with those daily reads...BUT - thinks seldom work as I plan :).
This Psalm has lots of good little thoughts in it, but it was the verse above that made me stop in my tracks. For whatever reason, it is at night when we go to bed that Satan seems strongest. I am often attacked by what I think of as a negative, or a "what-if", monster when I lay down. When your head goes on that pillow, your thoughts race. Sometimes down nice paths, sometimes down horrible ones! This verse to addresses those nasty thoughts and says "STOP." It almost seems to read, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." I would like to add an other option to this bible verse though. Ending with a simple, "or pray."
When you get in bed at the end of a long day, do not sin with your thoughts. Search your heart, and instead of anger, shoot off prayers instead. When you are mad at someone, do not wish them ill. Do not sin in your thoughts for them - pray for them. If you are angry at your life circumstance, do not send become bitter with jealousy over those you know who have more. Pray for contentedness. If you are angry because of the illness of a loved one, do not sin against God, pray for peace and love. If you are upset with your spouse, get over it, roll over and give them a kiss before you go to sleep - do not go to bed angry with them (that little bit of advice came from my Grandpa Emil St. John).
If you cannot find it in you to pray, reader, then do keep your thoughts "silent" if you can. If that is not a possibility either, read a book or watch some mindless television to take your mind off of your anger.
I think the bottom line is to not let that negative monster win when you lay in your bed. Let God win. End your day fresh and positive in some way so the next day can begin with the positive note from the day before!
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father God, help us become better at turning the negatives in our lives into positives. We would rather walk the path of giving forgiveness than run with sin. When we are feeling spiteful, please help us remain silent - both verbally, and in our heads. Let the last thing in our heads, before a night's sleep, be praise, instead of anger. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.
Well, apparently mention of sin is what is catching my eyes on this bible read through! In my One Year Bible Companion, I am reading Genesis, Psalms, Proverbs and Matthew. As I read, I am making notes of things that stick out and am hoping that for quite a while my posts will go along with those daily reads...BUT - thinks seldom work as I plan :).
This Psalm has lots of good little thoughts in it, but it was the verse above that made me stop in my tracks. For whatever reason, it is at night when we go to bed that Satan seems strongest. I am often attacked by what I think of as a negative, or a "what-if", monster when I lay down. When your head goes on that pillow, your thoughts race. Sometimes down nice paths, sometimes down horrible ones! This verse to addresses those nasty thoughts and says "STOP." It almost seems to read, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." I would like to add an other option to this bible verse though. Ending with a simple, "or pray."
When you get in bed at the end of a long day, do not sin with your thoughts. Search your heart, and instead of anger, shoot off prayers instead. When you are mad at someone, do not wish them ill. Do not sin in your thoughts for them - pray for them. If you are angry at your life circumstance, do not send become bitter with jealousy over those you know who have more. Pray for contentedness. If you are angry because of the illness of a loved one, do not sin against God, pray for peace and love. If you are upset with your spouse, get over it, roll over and give them a kiss before you go to sleep - do not go to bed angry with them (that little bit of advice came from my Grandpa Emil St. John).
If you cannot find it in you to pray, reader, then do keep your thoughts "silent" if you can. If that is not a possibility either, read a book or watch some mindless television to take your mind off of your anger.
I think the bottom line is to not let that negative monster win when you lay in your bed. Let God win. End your day fresh and positive in some way so the next day can begin with the positive note from the day before!
Closing Prayer:
Heavenly Father God, help us become better at turning the negatives in our lives into positives. We would rather walk the path of giving forgiveness than run with sin. When we are feeling spiteful, please help us remain silent - both verbally, and in our heads. Let the last thing in our heads, before a night's sleep, be praise, instead of anger. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
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