It comes down to a matter of CHOICE.

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At times we tend to operate depending on how we feel, come Monday morning or any other day when you don’t feel like reporting to work, you complain of how your day is boring and how you feel moody .The whole day, you treat people depending on how you feel. Some people will go ahead and justify their actions, saying they have mood swings, which we allow to take the better part of us but this should not be the case. Let me burst your bubbles, do you know you have the power within you to choose the way you want to feel and act?? If you want to feel bored, angry, spiteful or happy and grateful it’s a choice you deliberately have to choose.

You have no power whatsoever, to dictate how people think about you but you have the choice to choose on how you will treat people. Your feelings which attribute to your actions are as a result to the nature of your heart. Your heart is the well spring of life and you have to guard it from any pollution- Proverbs 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence,For out of it spring the issues of life. If you allow the enemy to pollute your heart by allowing negative emotions to take the better part of you, your life is disoriented and you end up not living a fulfilled life.

Take note:-A well cannot give clean water and dirty water at the same time. James 3:11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?

Let’s look at the whole perspective from this dimension, your boss or colleague at work comes in the office with a nasty attitude. They don’t feel like talking or responding to anyone, when you try even to say hi! You know what I mean, they are not friendly or they just won’t respond back. Instead of you being nasty towards them because that’s the way they are towards you, just leave them alone and continue with your business. You need to understand, you are not the reason they are having a bad day. You have the power within you, to refuse their bile to pollute your heart because you have made a choice to guard your heart. You cannot control how people think or say towards you but you the power within you to control how you respond to them.

Fact ;-A soft and gentle and thoughtful answer turns away wrath, But harsh and painful and careless words stir up anger. Proverbs 15:1

So how do you guard you heart???

1.Tame that small member of your body (The tongue ) :-

Proverbs 21:23

He who guards his mouth and his tongue Guards himself from troubles.

Ephesians 4:29

Do not let unwholesome (foul, profane, worthless, vulgar) words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear (you speak).

1 Peter 3:10

For,“ The one who wants to enjoy life and see good days (good—whether apparent or not),Must keep his tongue free from evil and his lips from speaking guile (treachery, deceit).

Colossians 4:6

Let your speech at all times be gracious and pleasant, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how to answer each one (who questions you).

2.Think well of others:-Learn to separate people from the issues they are going through.

Ephesians 4:32

Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted (compassionate, understanding), forgiving one another (readily and freely), just as God in Christ also forgave you.

James 4:11

Believers, do not speak against or slander one another. He who speaks (self-righteously) against a brother or judges his brother (hypocritically), speaks against the Law and judges the Law. If you judge the Law, you are not a doer of the Law but a judge of it.

Colossians 3:13-14

Bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive. Beyond all these things put on and wrap yourselves in (unselfish) love, which is the perfect bond of unity (for everything is bound together in agreement when each one seeks the best for others).

3.Meditate on the right things-God’s word

Joshua 1:8

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall read (and meditate on) it day and night, so that you may be careful to do (everything) in accordance with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will be successful

4.Make a deliberate choice that nobody will pollute your heart.

Psalm 19:14

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my (firm, immovable) rock and my Redeemer.

Psalms 51:10

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right and steadfast spirit within me.

5.Be specific on what you expose your mind and heart to: – what you watch on media or listen to has the power to influence how you feel, think and definitely act.

Romans 12:2

And do not be conformed to this world (any longer with its superficial values and customs), but be transformed and progressively changed (as you mature spiritually) by the renewing of your mind (focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes), so that you may prove (for yourselves) what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (in His plan and purpose for you).

Proverbs 4:23

Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.

6.Choose whom you hang around.

People can influence how you think or act. If you hang around positive people you end up being positive but when hang around negative people the result of you being negative is inevitable.

Psalms 1:1

Blessed (fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God) is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked (following their advice and example),Nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit (down to rest) in the seat of scoffers (ridiculers).

Things that pollute your heart:-

1.Hatred

2.Un-forgiveness

3.Rejection

4.Resentment

5.Breeding offense

6.Disappointments

7.Jealousy and envy

8.Wrong counsel

9.A wondering mind

You Are Special In God’s Eyes