Life Coach - Wisdom from the Proverbs - "A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back." – Proverbs 29:11

In the world there is a school of thought that says it is good to speak your feelings; get it all out; get it off your chest. However, this proverb cautions us to hold back and not vent all our feelings immediately. Perhaps restraint is good to allow us to consider what we would say, and perhaps in hesitating it will allow time for our feelings to change.

If we continually vent our feelings and our feelings change, we become known as being double minded. Our words will carry little weight. We are seen as weak. Those around us know that what we say depends on which way the wind is blowing at that moment. When a wind blows it causes a stock of grain to bend in one direction. When the direction of the wind changes, the stock of grain bows in a new direction. A strong firmly planted tree will stand and not bow in the wind.

Our feelings can be deceptive. We need wisdom and often we need time to process something so that our feelings will have time to line up with our thoughts and with our motives. It is good to stop and think, asking what do I really want to come out of this situation? Wisdom can help us be strong, choosing when to share our feelings. Then, when we do speak, we speak with the right motives. We have taken time to consider our feelings and see if they line up with wisdom. By holding back we have more options. Our feelings do not control us. We can choose to use wisdom and bless with our words.

Action: Seek wisdom and hold back.