Things happen, and people’s words make me feel anger and resentment. I can’t stop that emotional response, but I can learn to keep the emotion from lasting very long or from controlling my thinking and behavior. When we let the emotion of anger or resentment stay with us, we allow our thinking to go round and round, replaying the event or words that caused it, and we become less and less in control of our own lives. Words or actions that follow an emotional experience of anger or resentment are almost always wrong, hurtful to others, and damaging to our relationships. What we want is for all of our words and actions to be pleasing to the Lord. That is possible, but it requires great self-control, gained through practice. The key for me is practicing three things. First, memorize key Bible verses on various areas of life, and review them often. As soon as I feel anger or resentment, I set my mind on one of these verses and begin to meditate on it, that is, repeat it mentally over and over. The second discipline I practice is writing down what I did and said after feeling angry or resentful, which displeased the Lord. I may have been good and done everything right, but that is rare. The third thing is that I confess to the Lord that I blew it, and I ask Him for the strength never to do that same thing again. The worst thing I can do is justify my responses based on what was done or said. I don’t want others to control my life by pushing my buttons.