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I want to pass on to you one of our family’s favorite devotionals from the Our Daily Bread series. The morning Jim read it at the breakfast table, my daughter Katherine drew five stars and wrote the word “Mom” on it. That day was May 17, 1982—a red-letter day for our family. Maybe this will help you, too.
I got the message: Speak less often . . . and only after thinking about what I’m going to say. And speak only what is sweet and pleasant . . . only what is wise and kind! These are God’s guidelines for beautiful speech.
To follow these guidelines, you and I need to be growing in emotional stability. After all, our emotional state often sets the standard and tone for our home. Here are three guidelines for gaining emotional stability so that you, too, can make your home happy.
By this I mean your endurance. When I face difficult circumstances or painful times, I pray something like this:
“God, Your Word says You have already given me all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). And Your Word says I can do all things— including handle this—through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). By Your grace and through Your Spirit, I can do this. Thank You for enabling me to meet the challenge!”
With this prayer I acknowledge the marvelous resources I have in the Lord and then bear down physically and mentally and march right through what lies before me. I endeavor to quietly . . . and calmly . . . and determinedly . . . endure life’s challengesas they roll in and out.
You see, my goal—my prayer—is always that I will not give in, give up, or quit. Instead of becoming incapacitated by emotions, I want to be beautiful in God’s eyes.
I’m using temper to refer to “heat of mind” (as Webster’s says) and passion. When it comes to temper, God’s Word tells us a few things about a woman of strength.
This description may seem impossible, but let me reassure you that God uses our faithful devotion to Him and our careful attention to His standards day by day, challenge by challenge over a lifetime to flesh out in us His divine beauty, a reflection of His image.
I started down this path of mastering my temper by first creating a “resolutions” page in my personal prayer notebook.
This list contained the sins I was holding up to God daily with a heart-plea for Him to help me eliminate them out of my life (Matthew 5:29-30). One such unbeautiful habit on that list read, “Stop screaming at the children.” I hope you get the picture!
Speaking of sins, don’t most of them involve the tongue? Blessing and cursing do indeed proceed out of the same mouth (James 3:10). Our words can either “speak like the piercings of a sword” or “promote health” (Proverbs 12:18).To bring the sparkle of God’s beauty into a home, you and I need to live out a few more wise proverbs:
Emotional stability gives every soldier in every army the invaluable ability to continue on when the going is tough, and that’s what I’m calling you to do.
Let’s commit to learn endurance, master our temper, and master our tongue—things I’ve been working towards for decades. God’s beautiful and virtuous woman is an army of virtues. Start today to persevere and turn to God to be your Helper.
RESPOND
Dear Lord, thank You for Your indwelling Spirit, who helps me persevere. May my words and actions be pleasing to You. Amen.
RENEWING RESOURCES 
Putting on a Gentle and Quiet Spirit by Elizabeth George—Discover how to handle trials and persecutions, including: suffering for doing good; understanding the mysteries of God; and fanning the flame of faith through this Bible study.
REFLECT
Is there an area you struggle in the most when it comes to emotional stability? Look up Bible verses that relate to this area and commit them to memory.
REMEMBER
Start today to persevere and turn to God to be your Helper.
*Our Daily Bread, Radio Bible Class Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI, May, 1982.
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Jim and Elizabeth George are bestselling authors and national speakers dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. Together, they have written over 150 books with more than 14 million copies sold around the world. For over 35 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth and Jim have helped countless men and women:
Jim and Elizabeth George are bestselling authors and national speakers dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. Together, they have written over 150 books with more than 14 million copies sold around the world. For over 35 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth and Jim have helped countless men and women:
How did men and women in the Bible accomplish great things for God? There wasn’t any secret formula or bestselling book on success for them. In fact, they were ordinary people like you and me. What made them effective was their willingness to obey God—one decision at a time.
