I have found that one of the most valuable things a person can do in high pressure situations is to follow this verse. This has especially been helpful in my work environment, although I’ve certainly not always been a perfect example of it. The difficult thing is that it is the opposite of what comes natural. When things are high pressure it is not natural for us to restrain our words or to have a cool spirit. High pressure usually equals many words and hot spirit, if we’re doing what comes naturally.

Why is that? When we describe something as a high pressure situation, we are describing the way we feel internally about an external situation. When we submit our emotions and our mind to the external situation, then we get the internal result—the high pressure. This is the way we are built to respond, without growing in godly wisdom and in Christ.

Here is a secret, no matter what you’re feeling inside, most of the time you can keep quiet and the people involved will think you are wise. Even if you are thoroughly upset on the inside, keep quiet. In the long run it will work to your advantage. Only speak if you have to, and then speak only what is necessary. And be calm.

Secret number two: How does this become natural? This only becomes natural as you grow in your walk with Jesus and as you stay close to Him. In most cases, we get upset in high pressure situations because we are trying to protect our own interests or we’re trying to defend ourselves. As we grow in Jesus we know that He is our Protector and our Defender. He is the One that gives us favor and blessing. We do not have to fight for it, nor do we have to protect it. It is important for us to defend truth, but He is our defender, not us. Therefore, we can have a cool spirit and restrain our words because our trust is in Him to defend us and not in ourselves.