By Pastor Scott
A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back.
Proverbs 29:11 NKJV
Have you ever heard the warning to count to 10 before expressing what you are feeling in a moment of frustration or anger? That is wise advice, but sometimes I have found that it needs to be 10 hours!
(From the Believers Bible Commentary) Adams counsels:
The idea of allowing anger to break out in an undisciplined manner by saying or doing whatever comes into mind without weighing the consequences, without counting ten, without holding it back and quieting it, without hearing the whole story, is totally wrong.
As stated by Adams, there can be great consequences as a result of our words spoken hastily and rashly in anger.
I can personally remember a situation where I was filled with anger over a situation. I was ready to jump on the problem without thinking of the consequence. God provided someone just in time to jump in between me and the situation and was able to calm me down. My blood was boiling for hours, but after having some time to calm down and think through the situation, I could think with more clarity and could take a different path to remedy the situation.
Don’t forget the words of James..
So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. James 1:19-20 NKJV
Jon Courson comments: “stop speaking and start listening—and you'll hear God's voice in your trial."