Taming of the shrew (Bible version)

I'm wondering...

What do you do when you're unhappy about something?

Do you immediately respond in a quick, fiery, uncontrolled spate of words to the one who displeased you? Do you find a confidant that you can tell all about it? Do you spew your dislike and dissatisfaction to anyone who will listen?

The Bible tells us that although our tongue is a very little part of our body, it creates a world of problems for us, and that if we could just learn to control our tongues, we would be 'perfect'.

I've heard many different methods for 'tongue taming', but while reading a passage during today's message, I found one that isn't usually on the list.

In Samuel, we find out that when the Israelites said something Samuel did not like, that he prayed. 'But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us", this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord'. I Samuel 8:6.

Before he responded in his displeasure, he prayed. Before he flayed them open with his rapier tongue, he prayed. Before he pronounced judgment on them from heaven, he prayed.

And surprise, surprise! God answered... AND told him exactly what to say and do about the situation.

Excuse me while I take a short detour...

this makes me think of the old adage of 'counting to 10' when we get angry so that we don't say something we'll regret.

I wonder if 'count to 10' was intended to be a time of waiting before responding - in order to pray about it - that has become diluted over time until now it's just simply 'waiting for 10'... removing God entirely from the equation?

When things displease us or make us unhappy, intead of responding the way we feel to respond, if we pray, we actually will gain an advantage. Not only will we receive a guard over our mouths (Psalm 141:3), that will help us to not say things that shouldn't be said, but we also will be given God's will for what we should say and do about the situation.

PRAY and He will tell us how to act and respond. I like win-win solutions, don't you?