Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. — John 18:10

I don’t remember the exact details of the statement that was made to me, but I do remember how upset I got. I was a teenager and it had to do with one of my friends at the time. Something was said and I heard it and became upset. Instead of processing the information, I flew into action.

It can be so easy to do that in life. We are often facing situations and circumstances that cause us to want to react. At times, we react much quicker than we should. We see something or hear something, and our first reaction is to act. That is exactly what seems to have happened with Peter here.

When Judas came with the men to the garden to betray Jesus, Peter saw something play out in front of him that caused him to overreact. He quickly pulled out his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus. Peter’s temper got the best of him. At that moment, Peter forgot that he was standing beside Jesus, the Lord of all!

It was a quick overreaction, which is what often happens to us. We often overreact, which can cause more damage and difficulty. It is our human nature that pushes us to react. So how do we overcome these times of overreaction?

It involves trust. We must realize that we have God on our side and that He controls it all. Nothing comes into our lives by chance. When these situations come up, we can confidently take a step back and talk to God about them. He has the power and ability to change the circumstance or help us see what He is doing in our lives. We must simply trust Him.

Jared Dyson

Another Well Ministries