And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus – Philippians 4:7
Under the sweltering heat
It’s nearly impossible to beat
The adverse effects on my mind
That instead of patience, I often find
Me struggling to withhold
Attitudes I need to control
So, God, give me this day
The discernment so I may
Feel Your soothing balm
To keep me peacefully calm
The opening poem was inspired by a conversation about the negative effects extreme weather can have on people’s behaviors. I shared several examples that occurred when temperatures reached triple digits, and local authorities had advised precautionary measures to prevent adverse reactions—which I perceived to have happened when I witnessed angry outbursts from motorists on two separate occasions. Would the same behavior have existed if conditions weren’t as dangerously hot?
While I don’t have the answer, I do know of times when extreme situations, other than heat, caused me to overreact. This is why I’m including a request for God’s protective balm as a way to stay calmly at peace in any climate I face. I hope you will do the same.