ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE DAY
Winter in My Heart
In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:26,27
Where we live we boast we're having a dose of winter if the temperature drops down into the fifties, which it did last week. Within a few days we will no doubt be back with our tropical warm winter weather. But recently, I felt as if it were winter in my heart, big time.
I didn't realize I was harboring resentment. You could not have gotten me to admit I was even a smidgeon angry. However....I began to notice thoughts, and critical remarks on the tip of my tongue, that were less than kind. How subtle these destructive things are. How casually anger and unforgiveness can seep out, like water in a pot that is on a low heat and then boils over.
Fortunately something happened to jar me into reality. I began examining what was going on inside, heart and head. I’d learned about owning and taking responsibility for anger, for making a decision regarding forgiveness of others as well as self, and how critical that is in a spiritual faith walk.
So, even though I didn't really feel like it at the time, I made the decision to forgive; also that I would put a watch on what I said. Before long I began to notice a difference. The sting of anger was missing; there was a change in my attitude. A difference in the way I was seeing things, and then, naturally, in my speech. Spring had sprung, no longer was it winter in my heart.
It’s good to know we are not out on a limb by ourselves trying to do something that’s impossible, such as an attitude adjustment. When we make a decision in line with God’s word the Holy Spirit is more than willing to help us. That’s good news.
I didn't realize I was harboring resentment. You could not have gotten me to admit I was even a smidgeon angry. However....I began to notice thoughts, and critical remarks on the tip of my tongue, that were less than kind. How subtle these destructive things are. How casually anger and unforgiveness can seep out, like water in a pot that is on a low heat and then boils over.
Fortunately something happened to jar me into reality. I began examining what was going on inside, heart and head. I’d learned about owning and taking responsibility for anger, for making a decision regarding forgiveness of others as well as self, and how critical that is in a spiritual faith walk.
So, even though I didn't really feel like it at the time, I made the decision to forgive; also that I would put a watch on what I said. Before long I began to notice a difference. The sting of anger was missing; there was a change in my attitude. A difference in the way I was seeing things, and then, naturally, in my speech. Spring had sprung, no longer was it winter in my heart.
It’s good to know we are not out on a limb by ourselves trying to do something that’s impossible, such as an attitude adjustment. When we make a decision in line with God’s word the Holy Spirit is more than willing to help us. That’s good news.
…..Sally Kennedy (sallyikennedy@bellsouth.net) (irishthursdays@bellsouth.net) (http://www.sallyikennedy.com) by way of “Christian Voices” (www.ChristianVoicesWorldwide.net)
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