Hollywood Prayer Network on AngerMuestra

## GIVE A GENTLE ANSWER "Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone's face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.” Henri Nouwen > PRAY: Lord, I want to be as gentle as a dove, yet as wise as a serpent (Matt. 10:16). Help me to always answer with gentle, wise words so that I can be Your vessel to turn away wrath in others. Lord, hold my tongue if I am tempted to say a harsh word. Let me be wiser than the person I'm talking to, so that I can stay calm and thus have more authority. Teach me to be Christ-like with my words and my emotions. Thank You for molding me into a peacemaker. > REFLECT: Why do we want to say angry words when we're told in Scripture that it's the gentle word that turns away wrath? We need Divine intervention to understand there is great wisdom in controlling our tongue, so that we are absolutely convinced getting angry is not the answer, and will only make things worse! Do you truly believe this? > ACT: Commit to answering the next argument, disagreement, or nasty comment with a kind word, a word of encouragement, or a word of forgiveness. Decide right now how you're going to respond to the next conflict you're in, so that when it happens you don't just react. Avoid harsh words and just use words of love. When you've succeeded that first time, then commit to doing it again, and again, and again, until you've mastered it! When you mess up, don't get discouraged, just pick yourself up and begin again.