Presence 

Lord, thank you for being my companion on life’s journey, each day, and in each moment, including this one. Help me to tune in to your presence now…   

Scripture

Proverbs 15:1-2,4

¹ A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.  ² The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.  ⁴ A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

Reflection

Taking the time to consider how we respond, how we answer, how we react – this can make all the difference. If we don’t take the time, we often regret what we say or do. Worse still, we can escalate a situation, adding fuel to the fire, when we could have calmed the tension. We all have people who push our buttons. And we know they do. Yet we still react. So much better were we to take a deep breath and respond calmly in every situation.

Closing prayer

Dear God, before I respond in haste today, let the Holy Spirit remind me to pause and think. Help me live my faith.  Amen.