May 2

But thanks be to God, who always leads us triumphantly as captives in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. — 2 Cor 2:14 BSB

These words are a great help to us. Remember them when others irritate you, when the devil pricks you with his fiery darts, when your sensitive, self-willed spirit chafes or frets. Let a gentle voice be heard above the strife, whispering, "Keep sweet, keep sweet!" If you heed this quickly, you will be saved from many falls and kept in perfect peace.

It's true—you cannot keep yourself sweet. But God will keep you if He sees that it’s your fixed and determined purpose to stay sweet, refusing to fret, grumble, or retaliate. The problem is, sometimes we enjoy a little irritation or brooding. We want to cherish our grievances and nurse our hurt feelings.

Dear friends, God will give you as much love as you really want and choose. You can have your grievance, or you can have the peace that passes understanding—but you cannot have both.

There’s a balm for a thousand heartaches and a heaven of peace in these two little words: KEEP SWEET.