“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10
Today’s Christian daily devotional
“I ordered a skim latte’, not a regular.” The customer’s thin lips and tight smile was anything but friendly.
“I’m so sorry. Give me a couple minutes and I’ll make you a fresh cup.” Stella answered sweetly, hoping it would deflect the tension and also appease the manager that was watching just three feet away.
The woman in the business suit exhaled while glaring at her watch. Time was ticking and she wasn’t shy about letting everyone in line know how she felt about it.
As Stella steamed the skim milk, she felt her anger frothing with it. If she was anywhere but where she gathered her paycheck, she would have deposited that skim latte’ right where the sun didn’t shine…
Her deviant imagination seemed to be the only thing that got Stella through dealing with customers like this one.
She almost thrust that latte’ onto the counter, until she caught herself. Instead she heard her own voice say,
“Would you like a sleeve with that?”
The customer grabbed her drink, looked Stella straight in the eye and didn’t bother answering.
It took everything within this Southside Chicago girl not to throw off her apron and show that woman a thing or two…
But, instead of letting her instinct completely take over, Stella tucked her work cap lower and went back to restocking whatever needed to be restocked.
Anything was better than having to deal with another human being after that last one! The paper cups vibrated as she placed them inside their dispensers. Her hands couldn’t hide her anger.
From the outside, this short interaction looked as if it only lasted about three minutes. But, the truth of the matter was, it ruined the rest of Stella’s day.
As controlled as her reaction looked on the outside, Stella’s insides were raging. And, according to the circumstances, who could blame her?
But, Jeremiah 17: 9-10 reminds us that God not only watches our actions, He has an eye on our hearts as well. And, as much as we can control how another perceive us, not one of us can hide our heart attitudes from God!
Let’s face it—we cannot avoid vile people. The world is chock full of individuals who could care less about the state of anyone but themselves. To rise above your circumstances it will take a supernatural power. Only God can help you deal with the deepest and hardest to change sins—the sins of our hearts.
God promised in His word that He would change you if you let Him. Are you ready for the kind of change that will bring YOU peace from the inside out?
“Dear Heavenly Father,
I’m tired. I’m just plain tired of being angry, frustrated and offended all the time.
It seems the minute I ‘get over’ some infraction to my ego, another incident happens that sets me off again.
Riding the roller coaster of my emotions is costing me more than I’m willing to spend. My life is ticking away and it seems the older I get, the more embittered I become.
This is not how I envisioned myself to be.
Lord, it is time I give you the wheel. Today, I am asking for you to help me control my emotions. Not just from the outside, where people can see them, but from the inside as well. Go to the depths of me and deal with the root of my issues.
Lord, show me why I’m so sensitive. Reveal to me where my defensive nature comes from. Help me to give my anger to you. Help me to forgive those who have offended me so I can deal with others from a healed place.
In Jesus’ precious name, I will not let other people’s reactions steal one more ounce of my joy, my time or my thoughts. I will be quick to forgive and quick to bless those who have hurt me. Because quite frankly, life is too short to waste being offended. Amen.”
Thank you for reading today’s Christian daily devotional on verses: Jeremiah 17:9-10
Please check back and see what we have for you tomorrow!
Author: Julia Shalom Jordan