Shine

Do people ever irritate you?

As my years on this planet have progressed, I have found that patience for other people can elude me. Not every day but some days I nurture that irritation by grumbling to myself and may have arguments in my head. And that is a red flag—a big red flag. It signals I’m missing the fruit of the Spirit.

This is not what any of us are created to be. My authentic self has been bruised and buffeted by our culture’s climate.

In 2025, I heard the Lord direct me to sparkle, glimmer, and shine more. Perplexed, I did a word study diving deep into the Scriptures that contained those words.  Shine like the sun, like lamps, and cities on a hill. Don’t hide it but reflect the light of the world to those around you. I pondered what was missing.

Then, I saw it, tucked in the middle of the second chapter of Philippians. Philippians 2:15 (NLT) “so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.” Oh! What do I have to do to avoid criticism? Yes, Lord, I want to shine. Moving backward I read the familiar verse before and laughed.  “Do everything without complaining and arguing,”

EVERYTHING! It is okay to get frustrated. It is okay to be irritated but not to nurture those thoughts to the point of vain arguments, even if they are never spoken. My thought life feeds my heart, and my heart directs the way I treat other people.

When I become irritated, now I look for the source. My goal is to turn to wonder and prayer instead of criticism. I ask the Lord to give me a heart for that individual and prayerfully hope for their best outcome. I’m trying to avoid adding to other’s divisive language.

I will glimmer and shine if I commune with the Holy Spirit in-depth daily. I will talk less and sit in silence more. I let the Spirit pour into the hurt, sad, and damaged places. I now ask, wait, expect, and then share. I look forward to shining with you in 2025!