James 1:19-20

Good Morning,
I trust you survived the storms last night. It's still raining today, but Tucker and I walked when it was just a drizzle.
It's hard to believe that July is basically over. Where has this year gone? As I think about how fast life seems to go, now that I'm older, it makes me think about what am I still learning.
I've shared that the Lord is teaching me more about His Sovereignty, but also about patience. That one seems to always be before me to learn. I wish I'd learn it quickly so I don't have to learn it anymore :)))).
For many years I was a really angry person and the Lord slowly worked in me to refine and take the anger away as I surrendered the things that made me angry, to Him. As I matured, things just fell away because they weren't confusing, painful or what seemed to me an injustice, against me.
As I read today's scripture, I'm reminded again of what changes the Lord has wrought in me as He's transformed me through the years.
After you've read James 1:19-20, come and join me..... When I was such an angry person (24/7) my anger level was always at about an 8 on a scale of 1-10. It didn't take much to push me over the edge. Trust me when I say that didn't make me a good wife or mother.
When the Word says "quick to listen" I didn't do that. I always knew what was right, even if I didn't have all the facts. Next it says: "slow to speak and slow to become angry." I was fast to speak and rapid to become angry.
I know this didn't honor the Lord and I really did fight against it, all the time. But as the Apostle Paul says in Romans: I don't do what I ought, but do what I shouldn't. In Romans 7:21 he says: "So I find this law at work: when I want to do good, evil is right there with me."
It's only by God's good grace and His patience with me that I slowly learned to be calm, listen with both ears and let the emotions follow. I don't always get it right, but through the years, He's helped me SO much.
In verse 20 Paul teaches: "for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." One of the motivating factors for me all through the years is that I want to obey God. So, as I've been made aware of what He wants to change in me, I've worked hard to accomplish His goal as I've made it mine. He helped me; I didn't do all the hard work by myself. As I surrendered my will for His, He transformed, by the renewing of my mind, to His way of thinking and doing things.
Trust Him to work whatever it is He wants in your life.....you won't be sorry. Pray today and ask Him what He wants you to learn.

Learning to obey,
Sandy