Be Not Hasty (Daily Devotional)

Shalom, it’s a delight to be here with you, as we study God’s word through this series of Living Supernaturally. We have been focusing on what the bible talks about a very common emotion of anger. Today, we are looking at how the bible talks about be not hasty. Ecclesiastes chapter 7, ever 9 reads, ‘Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools.’ This verse gives us a lot of insight into anger. It instructs us of not being hasty in anger. Some of the other versions that further warns us by not being provoked quickly in our spirit. So, when we are provoked, our immediate reaction is often to lash out and this hasty response leads to conflict and later leads to a lot of regret. But when we pause and take sometime to reflect, we allow wisdom to take on our actions. This verse talks about some of the consequences of being provoked or being quick to anger. The latter part of the verse even states that anger rests in the bosom of fools. So, if we allow anger to linger and rest within, it is stating that it is a foolish thing. So, who is a fool? A fool in the bible is often referred to someone who doesn’t have wisdom, who has no understanding and who has no discernment and fools are generally characterized by their impulsive behavior, their poor judgement and maybe even an inability to learn from past mistakes. This imagery suggests that when we hold on to anger, we are in a state of foolishness and we need wisdom. So, persistent anger clouds our judgement and leads us to making wrong decisions which could be quite foolish. The second thing it talks about is that anger rests in the bosom of fools. It suggests that those who harbor anger definitely do not act in wisdom. When anger rests or resides, it means it is being held on to allowing it to settle in their hearts to breathe and later to influence the actions and that is when actions are more likely to be impulsive and destructive. So, anger when it is unchecked becomes a cycle, it festers and impacts not just our relationship with others but even our relationship with God and breaking this cycle needs a conscious effort. In contrast, when we are not hasty, what are we doing? We act wisely, we recognize the harmful effect of anger and we seek to manage it constructively. By understanding and applying this verse, we can avoid the pitfalls of being hasty in anger and instead cultivate a heart that reflects the patience, the peace and the wisdom of God. Let’s pray together, Heavenly Father, you have taught us not to be foolish in the way we respond to anger. May we have your wisdom as we respond and react. May we step aside and keep quiet at times when we need to. Teach us to think, ponder and to really look into what you desire of us when we respond in situations. Thank you for teaching us, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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