Friday Fight 222: Winning Without a Word

Every Friday, when I wake and pray, God places something on my heart to help fight darkness beginning in our minds. Today is FF222.

Have you ever experienced a time when your peaceful day went south within seconds, not because of anything you did, but because of someone else's attitude or behavior? In these moments when we feel wronged or disrespected, we are given the opportunity to respond in a way that shifts the spiritual atmosphere. Our reactions often say more about us than the offense ever could. How does God lead us to embrace these situations?

Winning Without a Word:

This week, my kids and I were shopping and found a mismarked item on a clearance rack. We assumed someone had accidentally placed it there, but thought it was worth checking. What began as a joyful outing was suddenly interrupted by a rude and dismissive clerk who insisted we pay more than the marked price. She even told us to check the price elsewhere.

Without raising our voices or reacting harshly, we chose to continue shopping. As we walked away, my son said, "We are not matching her energy." His words stayed with me.

Later, something unexpected happened. The same clerk found him, apologized, honored the sticker price, and offered to apply the clearance sale. In that moment, we realized the true cost would've been our peace—had we chosen to react.

When we feel wronged, our natural urge is to react, however; a Christ-like response reflects His character far more powerfully than any verbal confrontation. That woman could have disrupted our peace if we had allowed her, but our response was the difference between buying into her negativity or protecting our atmosphere. It is always our choice to how we respond to our environment.

We cannot control how others treat us, but we can pray and ask the Holy Spirit to remind us daily to make space for grace. Choosing not to return rudeness with rudeness gives God room to move.

Walking in humility is a daily challenge—one that requires God's strength, not our own. As we grow in spiritual maturity, remaining peaceful under pressure becomes easier. Romans 12:21 says, "Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good." When we respond to negativity with more negativity, we surrender something within our soul—evil wins when we mirror it. When we feel the need to correct someone harshly, we risk giving up the spiritual authority that comes from self-control.

Overcoming evil with good isn't just about changing someone else—it's about protecting the presence of Christ within us. The win for that day wasn't about the discount—it was that we kept our peace, reflected Christ, and stood firm in our identity.

It isn't easy to see the bigger picture while in the moment. Yet, sometimes the most significant victories happen when we walk away without saying a word—ministering to those who are hurting, not with our voices, but with our behavior.

Reflect on a time when a situation or relationship needed space for growth. Did you react harshly or reflect Christ? We will all encounter people with difficult attitudes, but the actual battle isn't with them; it's with our response. Nobody can make us act or feel a particular way except us. Join me this week in choosing reflection over reaction, and peace over pride. That's how we win—without a word.

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Photo Credit: Lorrie Taylor

In His Grace,

Pastor Shannon

River Church