Notes of Faith September 15, 2026
Nerves and Knees
He's so ill-tempered that no one can even talk to him!
1 Samuel 25:17, NLT
According to a 2024 survey, 85% of all employees have had an experience with a coworker who annoyed them, and 41% wish they could tell their annoying coworker what they think about them.1
When David was a young man running for his life, he encountered an ill-tempered man named Nabal. David almost went to war against him. Only the intervention of Nabal’s wife, Abigail, kept the two men from bloodshed. God gave her the grace to be a peacemaker.
What do we do with people who get on our nerves? First, we have to look at ourselves and ask if we are the cranky and irritable one. Sometimes fatigue can create friction, and neglecting Bible study can cause our love to ebb. Second, we have to look at the other person and see if they have a need behind their nuisance. We are to consider their souls and remember that we are all children of God.
When people get on our nerves, we should get on our knees.
We are all in relationships, we all face conflicts, and we all have to learn how to navigate them so that we, and our relationships, can truly thrive.
Gary Chapman
Be alert and on guard for the spiritual warfare that “gets on your nerves”. The spiritual battle is the one that we need to fight, standing firm in what we know to be true from the Word of God. Praying to God in trying and difficult circumstances asking for His Spirit to empower us to handle conflict, disagreement, annoyance, will allow us to be an example of the heart of Jesus and possibly be used by God to change another’s heart and mind!
Eph 6:10-17
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Look at the things that cause you trouble and consider if there is warfare going on behind the scenes to keep you from living a godly life.
Pastor Dale