The Power in Poise

A popular comedian recently demonstrated a profound lesson with an irreverently-relatable series of skits entitled “When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong.” In those skits, the main character encounters what appear to be unfair scenarios and – rather than addressing them with restraint – responds with forceful acts of retribution that give rise to permanently-damaging consequences against that character.

In the heat of battle, God's people can often experience a wide range of emotions that are out of character in their normal lives. As complex packages of spirit, soul and body, we occasionally encounter adversity at levels that challenge our normally-peaceable framework.

The scriptures consistently warn believers about the role of tribulation in our lives. By their very nature, spiritual attacks are vicious and calculated to bring calamity and disgrace to God's people.

Our conditioned response from the general society is to respond to hatefulness with comparable force. We even have piecemeal biblical precedent on which to justify “eye-for-eye” and “tooth-for-tooth” indignations expressions when opposition comes.

Yet, few of us can point to many occurrences when uncontrolled retaliatory anger has proven to be profitable. A sudden rush of vengeful words or deeds can quickly set in motion negative consequences that far exceed any initial harm that has given rise to a believer's rage.

The Gospel accounts show the Son of God facing threatening wind and waves with a direct and effective command that ends the drama: “Peace, be still.” The apostle Paul instructs the church to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

Oh, how different our lives would be if our usual response to adversity was a effective as what we learn from Jesus' example or Paul's instruction. How many times have the saints of God instead unwisely followed the example of Peter, who impulsively rebuked Jesus upon hearing of the Lord's impending suffering at Calvary, cut off one man's ear who had come to seize Jesus, and afterward denied the Lord three times?

How many times have the saints of God responded to viciously unfair circumstances not with righteous indignation, but instead with momentarily-understandable venom that has placed our lives into levels of turmoil that only God's infinite mercies can repair?

The scriptures teach us that along with peace, self-control and temperance are fruits of the Spirit, against which there is no law. Our mind, will and emotions can temporarily fall prey to intemperate urges, but under God's authority, we need not remain captive to what those urges seek to fulfill.

As we encounter tribulation, each believer has God's own army in place and fully adequate to fight each battle. Under Jesus' shed blood, we need not accept the lie that we are fighting alone.

Anyone who attacks God's people does so at their own peril. Concerning His prophets, God has even warned: “touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.”

The scriptures teach God's people not to take revenge, but instead to leave room for God's wrath. God has said this concerning his beloved: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord.”