Have you ever had a day where hardly anything was going right? Did you find yourself complaining, angry, short-tempered, and even using foul language (let's be real)?

If so, you may have come down with a case of the Grumpies (also known as living in the flesh).

The Grumpies often begin with an event, large or small that irritates us. It can be the kids, drivers on the road, a co-worker...anything. The Grumpies then spread as multiple events are stacked on top of one another - often within a short period. By this time (if not already), you'll discover those symptoms above. They don't always come at once, but depending on the situation, they’ll become progressively worse.

I recently had a case of the Grumpies. There were some situations I didn't agree with and I was trying to keep my composure. For me, the key was to keep my mouth shut (James 1:19-20). I didn't want to make things worse by opening my mouth and allowing the flesh to have its way because I had a lot of negative things to say at the time.

Within about thirty minutes, I entered a nearby office and read the following quote: "You don't have to be crazy to work here, but it helps." I laughed to myself and found my 'cure' for the Grumpies. That one quote helped to dissolve my hardening exterior (and heart) and live beyond the flesh's desires.

Proverbs 17:22 (KJV) - A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

As my heart became merry, I found the 'healing' I needed to be cured of the Grumpies. Many times we just need one 'shot' of SOMETHING (funny, heart-warming, etc.) to break our concentration from our fleshly rage. When the Grumpies are coming on, we may always not take the proper steps to get it under control before it takes control. So often we are left to conduct damage control after we've allow the grumpy flesh to have its way.

The Grumpies are curable! All things are possible through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).

(For more detailed information on our 'response' to the Grumpies, read The Dangerous Emotion