Too Blessed to Be This Petty
Dear Sinner,
Some days my prayers sound holy, and my attitude sounds like it needs to be baptized again. I'm just being real. I love Jesus. I read my Bible. I pray. I try my best to live a life that reflects Him. But every now and then, somebody will say something, do something, or look at me sideways, and suddenly I'm having to remind myself that I am, in fact, a child of God. Because sometimes the flesh is FLESHING. And before anybody gets too comfortable judging me, I have a feeling I'm not the only one.
I think sometimes we get this idea that following Jesus means we are supposed to wake up every morning with the patience of Job, the kindness of Ruth, and the ability to smile through every inconvenience life throws our way. And don't get me wrong, those are beautiful things to strive for. But sometimes you're running late, your coffee is cold, somebody has tested your last nerve, and the only thing standing between you and an attitude problem is the Holy Spirit doing some serious overtime.
Can we talk about the difference between loving Jesus and actually acting like Him?
Because I've learned that those are two very different things. It's easy to love Jesus when everything is going your way. It's easy to be kind when people are kind to you, and it's easy to be patient when nothing is testing your patience. But what happens when somebody hurts your feelings? When someone misunderstands you? When you feel disrespected, overlooked, or just plain irritated? That's when our faith starts showing up in ways we might not always like. And sometimes, what shows up is a little ugly.
I think one of the biggest misconceptions about Christianity is that becoming a Christian means suddenly becoming a perfect person. It doesn't. Following Jesus doesn't mean you never lose your temper, never say the wrong thing, or never have an attitude. It means that when you do, you have a Savior who loves you enough to correct you. And that correction? Whew. Sometimes it's uncomfortable. Sometimes it's realizing that just because I could say something doesn't mean I should. Sometimes it's having to apologize when I'd much rather explain why I was right. And sometimes it's the Holy Spirit reminding me that I cannot pray for peace while actively contributing to the chaos. Ouch.
Here's something else I've had to learn: being right doesn't always mean you're being righteous. You can have every reason in the world to be upset and still choose the wrong response. You can be completely justified in your feelings and still be responsible for your words. That's a hard lesson, especially for those of us who like to have the last word. But Proverbs 15:1 reminds us that a gentle answer can turn away anger, while harsh words can stir it up.
Notice that Scripture doesn't say we have to pretend nothing bothers us. It doesn't say that we aren't allowed to have feelings, boundaries, or difficult conversations. It reminds us that how we respond matters. You can stand up for yourself without tearing someone else down. You can disagree without being disrespectful. You can have boundaries without becoming bitter. And you can be a strong woman without making everybody around you afraid of your next reaction.
I think that's what spiritual maturity starts looking like. Not perfection or pretending, but learning to recognize the moments when our flesh wants to take the wheel and choosing to let the Holy Spirit lead instead. Galatians 5:16 tells us to walk in the Spirit so that we don't fulfill the desires of the flesh. And I love that the word is walk. Not sprint. Not magically arrive. Walk. Because walking is something we do one step at a time. Some days those steps are easy. Other days, it feels like we're dragging our attitude behind us and asking Jesus to help us get through the next five minutes. And that's okay, as long as we're willing to keep growing.
The goal isn't to become a woman who never gets irritated. The goal is to become a woman who recognizes irritation before it turns into cruelty. A woman who knows when to speak and when to be silent. A woman who can say, "I was wrong," without feeling like her entire identity is being threatened. A woman whose love for Jesus is reflected not only in the Bible verses she posts, but in the way she treats people when she's frustrated.
And listen, I am preaching to myself here, too. Because it's one thing to write about grace. It's another thing entirely to extend it when someone has gotten on your absolute last nerve. But that's the beautiful, humbling part of walking with Jesus. He doesn't just care about the version of us sitting in church on Sunday morning. He cares about the version of us stuck in traffic, the version of us having a bad day, the version of us arguing with someone we love, and the version of us who said something sharp and immediately wished we could take it back. He cares about our hearts in all those moments, and He continues to shape us if we'll let Him.
So maybe this week, instead of asking God to make everybody around us less irritating (although, Lord, if You're listening...), we can ask Him to help us become a little more patient, a little more gentle, a little slower to speak, and a little quicker to apologize. Because having an attitude doesn't mean Jesus has given up on you, but loving Jesus should make us willing to work on it.
And if you mess up tomorrow? Repent. Apologize if you need to. Learn from it. And keep walking. We're not chasing perfection here, girlfriend. We're chasing Jesus. And sometimes that means putting our attitude in the prayer closet right alongside everything else.
Two Verses to Sit With:
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Galatians 5:16 (KJV)
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
Proverbs 15:1 (KJV)
A Question to Ponder
When was the last time you felt completely justified in your attitude, but later realized God was asking you to respond differently?
And here's the harder question: Are you allowing Jesus to change your reactions, or are you using "that's just how I am" as an excuse to stay the same?
With love, a little sass, and a whole lot of grace,
Signed, A Sinner 💋
