Finding Peace in an Imbalanced WorldSample

Reveal

But Martha became exasperated with finishing the numerous household chores in preparation for her guests, so she interrupted Jesus and said, “Lord, don’t you think it’s unfair that my sister left me to do all the work by myself? You should tell her to get up and help me.” Luke 10:40 (TPT)

Like Martha, our words aren’t positive when we are busy, stressed, and overwhelmed. We may have a short fuse. Tangled in our frustration we become irritable, affecting our thinking and speaking. This tension can lead to a lack of compassion and grace; we can be judgmental and harsh towards ourselves and others.

What percentage of your life feels chaotic? Is it 20%, 40%, 60%? This number will give us a gauge of what percentage of our talk is negative.

A wise proverb says: From the fruit of their mouth, a person’s stomach is filled; with the harvest of their lips, they are satisfied. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:20-21 (NIV)

When we sow seeds with our words and actions, we choose what we plant and invest in our future. Sometimes, it is helpful to ask ourselves, “What does that investment look like?” In five years, if we continue to do and say what we do today, will we be closer to what we want our lives and relationships to look like or further away? We are going to have a harvest of something, but what will it be? Will it be fruit that lasts? – Amy Bridges

If we look for negativity, it's not hard to find it. So, what can we do? The next essential step is to allow the Lord to reveal truth in the area of our thoughts.

What are some “phrases” you say or think when life gets chaotic? How many of these phrases are positive? What lies have you believed about yourself or others?

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for letting my stress get me off kilter and distract me from you. Forgive me for believing I don’t have time to talk with you. The truth is, I don’t have time not to talk to you. Thank you for reminding me that your yoke is easy and your burden is light. Be with me today. Guide me in the way everlasting. In Jesus’ name, Amen