Boiling Over

She sat on the bed, the anger still slowly simmering like a pot of hot water that had just overflowed. We started talking about the root of the frustration that had brought us both to this place. There is something you learn very quickly when you become a parent, your children have a way of exposing all your own shortcomings right in front of you.  We both know what it’s like to boil over. We both know that feeling when your adrenaline spikes, your thoughts race, and the words spill out far too quickly. 

Somehow our conversation turned to the wisdom James 1:19 invites us to practice:  be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.  She looked back at me with an honest and innocent declaration… “that’s not possible!” she said.  In that moment I had to agree.  Left to ourselves, our hearts can’t always seem to get there. Sure we can learn some behavior techniques, and the right settings can help us mask our emotions, but left to ourselves, we sooner or later will find ourselves boiling over like a neglected pot of water on the stove. That’s why I love the hope of this week’s verse. What we can’t seem to do, He is. God doesn’t just do it, He embodies it. 

The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.  - Psalm 103.8

He is compassionate.  He is merciful.  He is unfailing love… and He is SLOW TO GET ANGRY.

So here’s the good news.  The one who is all those things, wants to live Himself out through us today.  From parenting to driving, He wants to live it out in the day to day moments that challenge us the most.  So take heart, in fact, take on a new heart.  The One who is slow to get angry is waiting for you and I to let Him.