HE DESIGNED LOVE NOT TO BE IRRITABLE

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. (Proverbs 16:32)

Love is hard to offend and quick to forgive. Do you believe this? Is this u these days? How easily do you get irritated and offended?

To be irritable means “when under pressure, love turns sour. Minor problems yield major reactions. You piur venom on your spouse. The truth is, love does not get angry or hurt unless there is a legitimate and just reason in the sight of God.

A loving husband will remain calm and patient, showing mercy and restraining his temper. Rage and violence are out of the question. If you have ever nursed the idea of hitting your wife, please refrain and apologise. Have you been hitting her in d past? You ought to be ashamed of ur cawordly act. A loving wife is not overly sensitive or cranky but exercises emotional self-control. Are you a self-controlled wife? Are u always nagging and opposing d leadership of ur husband? If you are walking under the influence of love, you will be a joy, not a jerk.

Ask yourself, ‘have I been a calming breeze, or a storm waiting to happen?” is there frequent quarrelling in your home between the 2 of you?

There are at least two key reasons that contribute to it:

1. Stress. Stress weighs you down, drains your energy, weakens your health, and invites you to be cranky. It has been brought on by relational causes: arguing, division, and bitterness. There are also excessive causes: overworking, overplaying, and overspending. And there are deficiencies: not getting enough rest, nutrition, or exercise. Oftentimes we inflict these daggers on ourselves, and this sets us up to be irritable.

You can pray together through your anxieties instead of tackling them on your own (Philippians 4:6-7).

2. Deeper reason why you become irritable-selfishness. When you are irritable, the heart of the problem is primarily a problem of the heart. Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). You are either a lemon: when life squeezes you, you pour out a sour response or you are like a peach: when the pressure is on, the result is still sweet.

Being easily angered is an indicator that a hidden area of selfishness or insecurity is present where love is supposed to rule. But selfishness also wears many other masks: Lust, for example, is the result of being ungrateful for what you have and choosing to covet or burn with passion for something that is forbidden. When your heart is lustful, it will become easily frustrated and angered (James 4:1-3). Bitterness takes root when you respond in a judgmental way and refuse to work through your anger. A bitter person’s unresolved anger leaks out when he is provoked (Ephesians 4:31). Greed for more money and possessions will frustrate you with unfulfilled desires (1 Timothy 6:9-10). These strong cravings coupled with dissatisfaction lead you to lash out at anyone who stands in your way. Pride leads you to act harshly in order to protect your ego and reputation. Fear of embarrassment causes overreaction.

Love will lead you to forgive instead of holding a grudge. To be grateful instead of greedy. To be content rather than rushing into more debt. Love encourages you to be happy when someone else succeeds rather than lying awake at night in envy. Love says “share the inheritance” rather than “fight with your relatives.” It reminds you to prioritize your family rather than sacrifice them for a promotion at work. In each decision, love ultimately lowers your stress and helps you release the venom that can build up inside. It then sets up your heart to respond to your spouse with patience and encouragement rather than anger and exasperation.

Your Challenge:

Choose today to start reacting to tough circumstances in your marriage with love instead of irritation. Make a list of three things that trigger irritation in your heart. Go on a date and discuss these things together and pray together for healing.

It’s a great day! Good morning