by Dr. Clyde M . Narramore Dr. Narramore, graduate of Columbia University, New York City, is a psychologist and Consultant in Research and Guidance with one of the largest school systems in the United States
your problem to light, I am sure that you will receive help for it. There are many reasons why a person does not have control over his temper. The most basic reason is be cause he does not have a deep, con tinuing fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. When a person is saved and is living a mature Christian life, hourly and daily trusting in the Lord, God gives him an inner peace and victory over a bad temper. It is interesting to note in your let ter that although you were saved at the age of 13, you never really grew in the Lord until this past year. You also state that since you have started to read your Bible lately, you have received much blessing from it and that your prayers are being answered. I believe that much of your trouble may stem from the fact that you are still a baby Christian. Although you were saved many years ago, your Christian life has remained at the s p i r i t u a l cradle. You have never prayed enough and read the Bible enough to grow, even into an adoles cent Christian; and yet, as a married woman and mother of several chil dren, you are having to face the most difficult times of your life. Little won der, then, with all of the responsi bilities of life and with such a short time of spiritual growth, that you are unable to cope with life without los ing your temper. You will find that as you set aside a time each day to study the word and to pray that you will become more and more mature spiritually and God will give you victory over your bad temper. May I suggest that you also set up a program for Bible memorization. Not long also a lady told me that each morning she wrote out a Bible verse on a piece of paper and pinned it to the curtain right above the kitchen sink. Three times a day, as she washed the dishes, she read the verse aloud several times. In this way she was able to memorize one or more verses a day. Naturally she carried these wonderful portions of Scripture in her mind throughout the day. The result? She had the mind of God. You can do this, too. It will not only help to control your
temper, but it will also give you wis dom about many things. A bad temper may also stem from other causes — physical problems. People who have glandular problems or other physical ailments may have little control over their temper. You should consider your physical condi tion. It is altogether possible that you need a medical checkup. If your husband loved the Lord, and was living each day for Jesus, he would encourage you in your spir itual development. But since this is not true, you must take the initiative in developing a spiritual program for yourself. You will find that through this spiritual approach, God will give you peace and joy beyond measure. Witnessing Question. I'm a student in a junior college where I try to witness to other students about my Saviour. Although I have been saved about three years and have talked to a number of the fellow s about the Lord, about all they do is argue. How can 1 be a better soul winner? Maybe I need some psychology. Answer. Maybe you do! One of the greatest privileges we have is that of telling others about Christ. Our high schools and colleges constitute two of the most important and most fruitful mission fields of the world. Concerning arguing, it sounds as if you may be doing a little yourself. It takes two. Some of the most effective witnesses on college campuses make special efforts to know and become interested in certain students. After ward, they give them a simple ac count of their own experience. A simple, sincere testimony is almost irrefutable. There is also great value in giving people well-chosen tracts. You might invite college students to meetings, to Christian social affairs, to showings of Christian camps. Like many of us, you may be placing too much emphasis upon the .value of reaping instead of upon sowing. Our joy should be in sowing as well as in reaping.
DR. NARRAMORE
Bad Temper Question. / listen to your broadcast and read- your articles. They have been a great help to me. I was saved when I was thirteen years of age, but I never really grew in the Lord as a Christian should. I never read my Bible and prayed. This year 1 have started to read my Bible through, and have received much blessing from it. 1 have prayed, and have had real answers to my prayers. The Lord has been so good to us this year. W e did not know wheth er my husband would have work all of the time or not. Now here is my problem : I have a bad temper, and I can’t seem to con trol it. How can I correct it? Does this mean that I am not a Christian? At times I seem so cold to the chil dren and to my husband. / do not smile, and I do not seem to have much fun with them. Why is this? I wish that I could be a happy person. I don’t know for sure that my hus band is saved. H e watches other Christians very closely, and he sees them do many things they should not do. So he says it is not wrong for him to smoke and drink. 1 told my hus band he should stop these habits before the children get any older. W e go to a Bible believing church and Sunday School every Sunday. I wonder if my temper might be a stumbling block to him. I am afraid it is. But how does one overcome such a fault? I do so much want to be a good Christian, mother, and wife. Thank you sincerely for your con sideration. 1 only wish that I could talk to you personally about this problem. Answer. I appreciate your fine letter and since you are so frank to bring
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THE K IN G 'S BU SINESS
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