Angry Smile
by Hannah Keeley
Do you ever get ticked off at your spouse or kids? Ever shoot daggers out of your eyes? I know how it is! Whenever I would get irritated with my husband, I would play the “silent game,” just so he would ask, “what’s wrong?” Of course, we all know what follows that question, right? You shrug your shoulders and say, “Oh, nothing.” Then you go back to being quiet. I guess the goal (as warped and weird as it is) is to make your husband suffer, wondering what on earth could be wrong with his wife! Meanwhile, he doesn’t care at all. He’s gone about his merry business and the only one who’s suffering is…you guessed it…YOU! Anyone ever play that game?
God gave us a commandment to “love one another.” It’s not a suggestion. It’s a command. And sometimes, it is SO HARD to be obedient, especially when you would rather play the silent game with your husband, or yell at your kids, or gossip about the woman down the street. But, here’s the good news: God would never command us to do something without giving us the strength and ability to do it. If He tells you to love, He’s going to enable you to do it.
With one catch.
You’ve got to take action! Paul tells us to “put on love.” That’s an action. We don’t love if we feel like it or when it’s convenient. We love with intention and purpose, when we feel like it and when we don’t. It’s hard, I know. The flesh tells us to be silent, or yell, or gripe. And sometimes it takes all the strength you have in your body and soul to do the right thing. To be loving when you feel like making someone suffer, or to talk with kindness when you feel like yelling, or saying something positive about someone instead of getting caught up in the gossip.
And when you do that, you better watch out. See, just like the lack of love can stop God’s blessings, the abundance of love can bring it on. He wants to bless you like crazy. But it all begins with you.
~ Hannah
Hannah Keeley was once in overwhelmed mom living in a cluttered house, deep in debt, out of shape, and barely hanging on. But one day, after finding herself sobbing uncontrollably into a pile of clean laundry, she realized God has bigger and better plans for her (just like He does for each one of His children). Beginning that day, she began making changes in her life that took her from overwhelmed to overjoyed. Today, she’s helping moms do the same. Hannah, her husband, Blair, and their seven children live in Richmond, Virginia, and are having the time of their lives!
