Of Stubborness and Self-control

 

God, Your rebuke and reprimand

Remind us that we have a choice

To rebel, grumble, play the fool

Or humbly heed Your tender voice

God, teach us how to discipline

Our thought; make Your conviction strong

And let us never be too proud

As to admit that we were wrong

How sad, if we in ignorance

Refuse the wisdom of Your way

Forfeiting our inheritance

Because of words we would not say

Lord, help us to control our tongue

And not to speak anger or spite

But teach us how to love like You

Then everything will be all right

© Janet Martin

Sometimes the devil wants to get me down

...tell me what a failure I am and I frown, 

but sometimes I have to confess

it's not the devil; it's God, drawing me near,

Whispering words I don't want to hear

because it's hard, when stubbornness is strong

to humbly bow and say, I'm sorry, I was wrong'

...but when we do God forgives and increases wisdom.

Stubbornness is determination to keep my own point of view

Determination is  stubbornness to see something through

Which am I? Which are you?

(sometimes it seems I have a dose of both!)