{Life} Choose JOY!

Written By: Kerrington Sweeney

Unguarded– Speaking carelessly without thinking about what you are saying. Very direct and honest especially when you should be cautious. Not protected or watched over. Vulnerable to attack, unprotected. Free from guile or wariness. Direct, incautious. 

Ladies, we all have those days where we are stuck in a tangled web and we are caught off-guard in that one moment of attack. Someone can say something just slightly negative (Terribly rude in our minds) and our first instinct is to snap back at them. I like to think of this situation kinda like a snapping turtle.

Like the Zoo-keeper always says, before entering into the Snapping Turtles exhibit: “She doesn’t snap, unless provoked or caught off guard, but when she is… Then watch out!!! Cause here she goes!”

Those are the moments where the Devil plots out a away to catch you off-guard and provoke your spirit man. One second you will be all cool, calm, and collected. Then the next, the Devil’s got you cornered and you begin to reply in a not very graceful manner at all. 

We then begin to get sucked into this whirlpool of bitterness and un-forgiveness. As we are struggling to keep swimming against the current & are trying to choose Joy and see the positive in this negative situation, the devil just continues to keep pulling down on us, until our heads go under and we drown into an off-guarded moment. 

In these moments it’s very easy, (speaking even for myself) To say things we will later regret. When we show bitterness or  un-forgiveness towards someone, Our hearts then lose the special protection covering that God has placed over them and we then take every slight negative comment, as huge ones. Because our hearts are not being protected we instantly feel provoked, and feel the need, to reply in not-so-graceful manners to prove a point. 

That is probably the absolute hardest scripture right there to live by. 

Speaking in every situation with grace and a calm tone… Definitely something, we ALL need to be working on!  My mom always reminds my sisters and I of this, often daily: 

“Are my words bringing peace to this situation or are they just fuelling a fire of anger??” 

Before you speak it, take a look at what you are about to say and ask yourself this quick questions: “Is this glorifying to God?”,” Is his speaking with a tone of grace?” , “Is this bringing joy into that person’s life?” If none of the above apply…then don’t say it. (Plain and Simple.) 

As I began to write this post, I started to examine my own heart, God kind of gave me this little review film of the things that I have said verbally or even online to people in the past and I began to weep. I felt so ashamed, dirty even. In that moment of shame, Bitterness, and un-forgiveness…I kneeled before God at 1:54am and I rededicated my ‘mouth’ to the Lord.

With tears rolling down my cheeks I said: “God whatever flows from my mouth, let it be glorifying to your name & let it always be with Grace. God help me to always choose Joy even in the ‘unguarded’ moments and Thank you for always loving me, even with my many mistakes.” 

I don’t know about you, but Today I am choosing JOY!

Until Next Time,

~Kerrington