When problems are minimized, not maximized, faith is exercised! el

 Wednesday’s Word

Proverbs 26:20 Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;
And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.
Have you ever said you’ve forgiven someone for an offense only to find that the next time that anything that even remotely reminds you of it, resentment re-ignites the flame of un-forgiveness? Thanks for joining me today for Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power and Wednesday’s Word with Trench Classes United.
If there’s one lesson I seem to be forgetting more than I’m getting, especially lately, is that the more I talk about a problem, the bigger it gets and before you know it, I’ve overwhelmed myself! Or what about when someone offends us; do you ever notice that the more you talk about it the more resentful you are? Oh, but this truth reveals the need for some scriptural sanitization of the mind!
Look at the words in this verse. They are certainly more quiet and gentle than my resentments that can build as fast as a freight train headed to its destination!
What a beautiful way of saying let go, let God, and of gently but quite firmly reminding me that I don’t need to keep adding wood to my tough circumstances by talking about them – in the name of venting – and I definitely don’t need to participate in a disagreement by continuing to disagree! That only makes resentment rise and our spirits fall.
Let’s have some fun with the NIV version of this verse:
Without wood a fire goes out – think about it; can a fire burn without wood? Of course not! This part of this instruction is telling me to minimize what I tend to maximize, and it can be applied to relationships and circumstances!
Let’s look at the second part of the verse: without a gossip a quarrel dies down. Ah, can a person fight all by themselves? What a funny picture, right, to leave a person standing there arguing by themselves because we refuse to participate. J J  But this verse is also telling me that many disagreements happen because of un-truths, aka, gossip! If you can’t say it to the person, you shouldn’t say it about the person! OUCH!
Maybe it’s time to minimize what I maximize, and let Him make it go away!
I don’t know about you, but I’ve tied me a few knots to remind me of these truths in the journey! I pray you’ve been able to do the same!
Much love,
Kim-Evinda