Sometimes the best thing to do when you are provoked is to be silent and walk away. King David was experienced in dealing with annoying people and he gives us some great advice in this passage. Don’t enter into an argument with them. Hold your tongue, walk away, and continue to do good.
Psalms 37:1-3, 7-8
Do not be agitated by evildoers; do not envy those who do wrong. For they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender green plants. Trust in the Lord and do what is good; dwell in the land and live securely. Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for him; do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way, by the person who carries out evil plans. Refrain from anger and give up your rage; do not be agitated it can only bring harm.
Refrain from Anger
It is so easy to allow ourselves to get distracted and agitated by other people. Whether it is something they are doing we by how they treat you it is easy to get angry with them. It can be a challenge to keep our blood pressure down. Scripture tells us that we need to refrain from getting angry. How do we overcome being agitated? This passage gives us a few tips.
Focus on What’s Important
The first tip is controlling our focus. When we focus on being annoyed, it takes our eyes off the Lord. It also wastes our time because these issues have short timespans. When we don’t give any time or energy to them, they tend to go away. If we obsess about other people or problems, it saps our energy. It is at that moment that we need to stop, take the thought captive, and give it to the Lord.
Walk Away
The second tip he gives us is to give up our rage by walking away. Not every battle is worth dying over. Retaliating will only bring you harm. Like the old saying goes: “Don’t wrestle with a pig because you both will get dirty but he will enjoy it.” When we seek revenge, we envy the person in the wrong. We want to be like them and that leads to sin.
Don’t Dwell on the Issue
Get your mind off of the problem. Do that by meditating on scripture, singing worship songs, or talking with a fellow brother or sister in Christ. Don’t dwell on the issue or allow yourself to be dragged down by anger or agitation. People who agitate often are here today and then gone tomorrow. The next you are confronted with an annoying person remember that they wither like the grass. It may not seem like it at the moment but in a little while you will look back and see it come true.