Perspective: Ruined for Good

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Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult. — Proverbs 12:16

Thought for the Day: I have to make the choice every day to interrupt my fleshly tendencies of yelling and getting angry over minor things.

If you have kids, then I’m sure you’ve felt the frustration of having things ruined. Maybe you’ve experienced grape juice on the carpet, scratches on hardwood floors, permanent ink on your favorite shirt, or something similar.

My daughter, Ashley, once went up the stairway with a crayon putting tick marks on our freshly painted walls with each step she took. Then she dragged the crayon all the way down the hall to her room. Yes, I said freshly painted walls. I wanted to pull my hair out by the roots!

I’d like to be a mom who handles mishaps and messes with a graceful, “That’s okay, dear.” But I’m wired with firecrackers in my blood. So I have to make the choice to let the Holy Spirit rein me in. This means getting into God’s Word every day and praying for Him to help me display grace, patience, and self-control when I want to do the exact opposite.

I have to make the choice every day to invite God’s Spirit to interrupt my fleshly tendencies of yelling and getting so angry over minor things. As Proverbs 12:16 says, I don’t want to be a fool that shows my annoyance at once. I want to be a prudent, wise woman. I want to be a woman who doesn’t constantly regret my reactions later.

God helps me with this through perspective changers. He shows me a different way to look at and process things that trigger my emotions. In response to my frustration with my kids ruining things, He gave me a sweet change of perspective that improved my outlook and diffused my anger.

While visiting my husband’s parents, I took a liking to a writing desk in their home. I mentioned to Art’s mom that I’d love to have it if she ever decided to get rid of it. But she was quick to tell me that she would never get rid of it because it was priceless.

She unlatched the fold-down lid to reveal what made this desk so special to her. In a little boy’s handwriting, the letters A-R-T were scratched onto the surface. His name was forever carved onto her desk.

She admitted to being angry with Art when this happened years and years ago, but now the scratches that seemed to have ruined her desk are priceless treasures to her. Her little boy’s handwriting is saved for her to cherish and remember. The desk had been ruined… for good.

And I pray that remembering this story, this perspective change, makes me ruined for good as well.

Dear Lord, thank You for perspective changes that help us to see past the here and now so that we can see Your truth which sets us free. We are freed from anger, firecracker emotions, short fuses, and explosive tempers… free to reveal the You in us! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Excerpted with permission from Unglued Devotional: 60 Days of Imperfect Progress by Lysa TerKeurst, copyright Lysa TerKeurst.

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Your Turn

Whether or not we are parents, we as Christians look to the Proverbs, read the warnings against being a fool and the severe consequences of foolishness, and long for wisdom in our daily lives. Today, let’s pray for those divine perspective changes which ruin us for good! Come join the conversation on our blog! We want to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily