Proverbs 16:32 5/30/2017*

"He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city."

Our society holds in awe the athlete, celebrity, or executive who can overcome others with their ability. But many in Hollywood and Wall Street, conquer the world, yet are defeated by internal demons.  Too often we read of well known and highly honored individuals succumbing to struggles within themselves.

Maybe we grow up focused on the wrong battle. Maybe from a young age, we are too concerned with our outward appearance and reputation, and not concerned enough with who we actually are on the inside.

If we examine times of crisis in our lives, we will find that many are the result of things we did... not things done to us.

The great deception is the belief that controlling others will make us successful when in fact, controlling ourselves is the key.  Anger, Jealousy, self-pity....these are the enemies that do the most damage, and need to be subdued.

Let's shift our focus.

Let's take a long hard look in the mirror and conquer the man we see there.  Decide today to rule your emotions instead of letting them rule you. Do not allow feelings to flash, and dictate your actions. True power is shown not by controlling others, but by controlling yourself.

Inner peace is difficult to find when you carry your antagonist around with you. Rule your own spirit. You don't have to go out looking for a conquest, your most important battle lies within you.

"There is little that can withstand a man who can conquer himself."- Louis XIV