28 August 2022
Two-Minute Features | 04 September 2022 | 21 August 2022

Aggravation in Us is Tied to Wantingness (TMF:1930)

Friday, September 02, 2022
Peace to Live By: Aggravation in Us is Tied to Wantingness (TMF:1930) - Daniel Litton
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       What might this look like in real life? Basically, if you stop and think about it, all aggravation is tied to a wantingness. It is tied to a desire which hasn’t been met. If we are angry at someone, it is because they have not acted how we thought they should. Sometimes this aggravation is justified, but more often than not it really isn’t. Our ways aren’t always the best ways (hence, self-righteousness). Nevertheless, if we are aggravated in traffic, it is because we are not traveling along as fast as we would like. The wantingness to move faster is not being met. For the wife who is concerned about her husband not spending enough time with her, or given attention to her, it is because the desire for him is not being met. Therefore, all aggravation has its root in wants and cravings. How do we give up this aggravation, then? You give up aggravation by surrendering to an attitude of wantingness. Whatever want you have needs to be given up because a strong yearning for something to happen blocks out God’s power from flowing.

How We Put Evil Away from Us (TMF:1929)

Thursday, September 01, 2022
Peace to Live By: How We Put Evil Away from Us (TMF:1929) - Daniel Litton
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       Next, James says, “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21, (ESV). Now, James in the prior verses was talking about our listening skills, what we say and when we say it, and any aggravation we have in general. He starts this next verse with a “Therefore.” So, we can assume that this verse is talking about the previous verses. We are to get rid of any filthiness and rampant wickedness in our lives as pertains to our general characters then. Literally, James tells us to “put away.” In putting away then, it’s something that we no longer allow to be part of us. How do we do that? Giving up control allows something to become disconnected from us because we no longer embrace it. If we let our bad habits and anger die, if we let those thoughts no longer have their roots in the soil of our minds, then they will die off over time. Again, this is done through the power of surrender.

Seeing Others as Wrong (TMF:1928)

Wednesday, August 31, 2022
Peace to Live By: Seeing Others as Wrong (TMF:1928) - Daniel Litton
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       Faith is being utilized when even though we may not agree with what the person is saying (and even if it is wrong), that regardless the person is a person worth our time and acceptance. Faith is used when we cannot really see it ourselves, but trust that everything is okay regardless. It’s easy to want to see others as wrong, and we ourselves in the right. It can be easy to not be willing to learn from others, assuming that we already know all the answers. When people do in fact criticize us, this can be an opportunity for us to really consider what they have said, to see if there is anything we can learn from the criticism. We often don’t want to admit it, but more often than not there is truth in what people say against us, and there may be something that we could do better if we considered a different way of going about it. Now, people do criticize us out of sheer jealously, just because they don’t like us succeeding where they are not. In those cases, what we learn is about them, not about us. It can also be easier to forgive a person for their criticism when we realize that it is indeed coming from an underlying envy.

Becoming Easygoing & Accepting (TMF:1927)

Tuesday, August 30, 2022
Peace to Live By: Becoming Easygoing & Accepting (TMF:1927) - Daniel Litton
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       Even if you don’t think the person is going to have anything to say that you want to hear, that’s not the point. The point is that we are becoming easygoing and accepting of the person, enjoying the conversation as we listen to them speak, as we take-in what they are saying. I do it all the time, so much so that sometimes I forget, after listening, that I need to speak myself. And that’s true. We need to share with others also, but it’s the eagerness to do so that’s the problem. The eager attitude needs to be surrendered. Aggravation can be present inside of us when we are not easygoing toward others, when we are not accepting of what they have to say. Some people need to realize that 1) You do not need to agree with everything a person says in order to enjoy a conversation, and 2) It is not your job to correct the person where you see differently or even to necessary offer your view on the subject at hand. Faith is being utilized when even though we may not agree with what the person is saying (and even if it is wrong), that regardless the person is a person worth our time and acceptance.

Being Quick to Hear vs. Selfishness (TMF:1926)

Monday, August 29, 2022
Peace to Live By: Being Quick to Hear vs. Selfishness (TMF:1926) - Daniel Litton
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       If we are self-centered, boastful, or even opinionated (yes, I said opinionated), this may be a real problem for us. Since the self-centered person is focused on themselves, he or she doesn’t want to hear what the other person has to say. If we are quick to brag about this and that, where we are going or what we have done, or what we have accumulated in this world, then again we are focused on ourselves. Even being opinionated is a problem for us. This is because we have strong positions that we want to bequeath to others, and we may care more about them hearing what we have to say instead of us hearing what they have to say. It’s good to check one’s eagerness at the door. This is giving up control of the conversation. If you have this problem, sometimes you will find that if you stop and listen you will learn something new, and just have a good time in general. Even if you don’t think the person is going to have anything to say that you want to hear, that’s not the point. The point is that we are becoming easygoing and accepting of the person.