Do any of you struggle with anger? If a friend does something to hurt you, do you immediately lash out at them, or do you cool off first and then talk it out? Proverbs 14:29 says, “Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.” There have been times in my own life when I have immediately gotten angry about something and later realized there really wasn’t anything to be angry about. If I had been patient and waited and thought about things, I would’ve seen what happened in a completely different way. This passage tells us that when you’re patient, you will understand your situation better. Being quick-tempered often makes us react to things in a way that is foolish and doesn’t bring glory to our Heavenly Father.

Not thinking clearly about a certain situation can cause all sorts of issues with your friends and family. If you’re quick to act on how you feel when you’re angry, you can actually destroy relationships. When you do feel yourself getting angry, stop and ask God to help you control yourself and to help you show Him in your reaction.

Be a turtle! You’ve always heard that turtles are slow. Find a picture of a turtle on the internet that you can print off. Hang it on the fridge where you can see it. When your brother or sister says something that makes you angry, look for the turtle picture and be reminded to slow down your thoughts, ask God to help you chill, and be patient so that you can react in the best way possible. Be slow (like the turtle) to anger!