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Inspiration

Hold on to Your Power
By Joel Osteen - Mar 01, 2010
I heard this lady tell how one of her husband's relatives was very opinionated. He was always making cutting, demeaning remarks toward her at family gatherings. This couple hadn't been married that long, but every time they were at a family get-together, invariably, this relative would say something that offended her. She would get all upset, and it would ruin the whole trip. It got so bad that she didn't even want to go to these family events anymore. Finally, she told her husband, "You've got to do something about that man. He's your relative." She was expecting the husband to say, "You're right, Honey. He shouldn't talk to you like that. I'm going to set him straight." But the husband did just the opposite. He said, "Honey, I love you, but I cannot control him. He has every right to his opinion. He can say what he wants, but you have every right to not get offended."

At first she couldn't understand why her husband wouldn't really stick up for her, but one day it was like a light bulb turned on. She realized that every time she got offended she was giving away her power. She was allowing one person, who had issues of his own, to keep her from enjoying her time with her family.

When you allow what someone says or does to upset you, you are really allowing them to control you. When you say, "You make me so mad," what you're really doing is giving away your power. You're giving away your peace and joy which is your strength.

People have a right to say what they want, but we have a right to not get offended. Proverbs 19:11 says, "A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense." Today, choose to be wise by exercising patience. Hold your peace and overlook offense. As you do, you're holding your power, you're holding your peace, and you are positioning yourself to receive every spiritual blessing God has in store for you!
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