Anger and bitterness wrap us in a cloud of self-justification and self-pity. There is just so much opportunity for us to focus on harm both real and inflated and even self-inflicted; and plenty of temptation to nurture it, adopt it as a member of our family and even develop a little egotistic pride in it.
But today, as I am making a greater effort to weed some bitterness from my own heart, I find am longing to clean up the part of the garden of my life that I have encouraged to become overgrown with the weeds of regret and anger. I'm longing to reclaim all the time this matter has claimed in the past couple of years, as I am seeing more clearly that it has just taken up space without contributing to the bounty of my garden. I want to grow zinnias and 4 0'clocks and violets in this space but wanting to and doing the necessary work to clear the space are two different things.
So today I'm spending a little time asking the Spirit of God to show me the steps I need to take to move on from this, to learn helpful lessons and weave them into the fabric of my life in a way that will help me benefit even from this thing I hate so passionately.
I thank God for the people who have taken the time to share information and observations with me that have nudged me to reclaim this corner of my life's garden for something better than bitterness and to know that the work needed will be, no matter how arduous, far more pleasant in the long run than these months that have been
plagued by the odor that keeps seeping into my life from my pool of anger.
Almighty God, My Father, help me to embed James' advice deeply in my soul that I might cling more tightly to You than to anger, seek Your blessed righteousness rather than settling for self-righteousness, welcome Your peace over my right to be angry. You give me the gift of self will: keep me from letting it run riot in ways that limit my willingness to accept the unique blessings You have for me. Christ had the most reason of all persons born on earth to resent our brokenness, yet He consented to cover it by His Passion. I ask in His Name for the gift of Spirit. AMEN
James 1:20 Anger does not help you live the way God wants.
But today, as I am making a greater effort to weed some bitterness from my own heart, I find am longing to clean up the part of the garden of my life that I have encouraged to become overgrown with the weeds of regret and anger. I'm longing to reclaim all the time this matter has claimed in the past couple of years, as I am seeing more clearly that it has just taken up space without contributing to the bounty of my garden. I want to grow zinnias and 4 0'clocks and violets in this space but wanting to and doing the necessary work to clear the space are two different things.
So today I'm spending a little time asking the Spirit of God to show me the steps I need to take to move on from this, to learn helpful lessons and weave them into the fabric of my life in a way that will help me benefit even from this thing I hate so passionately.
I thank God for the people who have taken the time to share information and observations with me that have nudged me to reclaim this corner of my life's garden for something better than bitterness and to know that the work needed will be, no matter how arduous, far more pleasant in the long run than these months that have been
plagued by the odor that keeps seeping into my life from my pool of anger.
Almighty God, My Father, help me to embed James' advice deeply in my soul that I might cling more tightly to You than to anger, seek Your blessed righteousness rather than settling for self-righteousness, welcome Your peace over my right to be angry. You give me the gift of self will: keep me from letting it run riot in ways that limit my willingness to accept the unique blessings You have for me. Christ had the most reason of all persons born on earth to resent our brokenness, yet He consented to cover it by His Passion. I ask in His Name for the gift of Spirit. AMEN
James 1:20 Anger does not help you live the way God wants.
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