Sometimes, we buy a piece of furniture to assemble ourselves, or an electrical appliance, expecting to use it quickly—but nothing seems to work, and we lose our temper. It’s always the manual’s fault, never ours! Has that ever happened to you? The wife plans a family outing, but the husband had something else in mind!

One day, a brother swore in a way I had never heard before—not even from unbelievers. He was facing an unexpected problem and lost it completely! So often, people get angry over the most foolish things. The older we get, the less we should lose our temper, because wisdom should be growing in us.

Wisdom and self-control.
Self-control is part of the fruit of our spirit. It’s something God placed in us at our new birth, but just like joy, it’s up to us to use it—or not. God will never force us to use the gifts He gave us. The proof is that some people bury them in the ground!

There are some Christians, let’s be honest, who lose their temper like madmen, spewing out profanity and sometimes even insults when things don’t go their way. They sing praises on Sunday, claim to belong to God, and yet do truly shocking things.
Speaking of the tongue, James says:

“With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and bitter water flow from the same spring?” — James 3:9–11

If you are a child of God, you must learn to control yourself. A discussion to “solve a problem” should never begin in anger, because that would only double the effort. Human anger does not accomplish the righteousness of God.

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” — James 1:19–20

If you get angry, do not sin.
Anger itself is not a sin, but acting out of anger is. A child of God should be gentle and peaceful. That doesn’t mean being a pushover or spineless, but we must reflect God’s attributes: gentle and peaceful, yet also firm and strong.

Be quick to listen to the one who thinks they’re right, even when you’re sure you are, and be slower to speak in your defense.

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” — James 3:13

The wisest person isn’t necessarily the one who’s right, but the one who behaves with gentleness and wisdom. Gentleness, wisdom, and self-control aren’t just for anger, but also for facing life’s difficulties.
You may be at rock bottom, at the end of your rope, and nothing is going as you had planned. You feel lost, maybe even betrayed. You see no hope. But even then—hold on to peace, and walk in trust in God, with a calm heart. That too is good conduct—it’s a life of faith and confidence in God.

When I was 19, a verse deeply impacted me:

“Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” — Philippians 4:5

Paul said of himself:

“Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.” — 1 Timothy 1:13

Yes, even Paul had to change his character! If you have serious flaws, you need to work on them before serving God or getting married—because afterward, they’ll be even more exposed and tested. Changing a flaw is a decision you can make even while living alone. Paul used to be a hothead. In fact, that was one of the major flaws of the Pharisees behind their holy façade.

Our gentleness should be recognized by everyone, because the time is near, and we must not be a stumbling block due to character flaws.
Being a stumbling block or poorly handling something unexpected isn’t always about getting angry. It can also be about lacking trust in God, lacking faith, missing the mark—sinning, ultimately.

If nothing goes as you had planned:

• Make the decision not to let your joy be stolen, but declare that the joy of the Lord is your strength—the strength that will help you overcome the enemy’s barriers. Say aloud: “I am not a spiritual baby, I refuse to lose control, but by God’s grace I exercise self-control. I command my soul to be quiet and submit to the Word of God.”
• Make the decision to rejoice in God and praise Him for a specific reason—this brings the presence of God, for He dwells in the praises and rejoicing of those who obey His Word.
• Make the decision not to let your peace be stolen, but declare that the Lord has given you a peace not like the world’s peace.
• Make the decision not to worry, but simply hand that burden over to the Lord, and the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Glory to God—I’m sure some of you are already receiving His peace again!
• Stop focusing on your problem and on what you had planned. Fix your eyes on Jesus Christ.
• Declare your trust in God again!
  “Thank you, Lord, that I can trust You. I trust You. You are coming to help and support me with Your sovereign strength, because Christ in me is the hope of glory. I believe the answer is coming because of You. Glory to God!”

This text is an excerpt from the book “365 Days at the Master’s Feet”, written by several French-speaking authors, with Jérémy Sourdril as the main contributor.

We invite you to read the next article: “DO YOU WANT TO BE HONORED? THERE IS A PRICE TO PAY!”

WHEN NOTHING GOES AS YOU HAD PLANNED. WHEN NOTHING GOES AS YOU HAD PLANNED .