I am not going to post them, as it would serve no edifying purpose. This morning, I am stopping to spend time "abiding" and to get rid of those frustrated, angry thoughts and feelings...whether justified or not. Wow...as a woman...I can justify just about anything to fit my purpose and my perceptions!
And that is scary to me...in light of what I am reading each day in devotions, memorizing in Scripture, and studying in our Sunday School small group. I am filling my mind with good things...and I still struggle! I guess this would be a test for me today...every day! Where the rubber meets the road! Where practice what you preach comes into play! Where I make a choice to obey!
I wouldn't feel better "putting it out there and getting it off my chest"! I would feel bad for dragging other people through the mire of my discontent about daily situations of life...that sometimes...just irk the fire out of me. I do want to say...there are things that are legitimate to be angry about...things that violate God's Word. God's Word is the measuring stick...not my opinion. I am not talking about those things.
I am talking about those little things that tend to stack up. The things that cause us to say, "Why in the world? What? Oh for goodness' sake! Unbelievable!" So often...I applaud myself for keeping my thoughts to myself...but a thought turns into a heart attitude quickly...which becomes an action...even in little proportions. I know! I know the verse, Proverbs 4:23.
So now...here is a real life situation...what am I going to do with it? It isn't going to go away. It will daily be in my face for the next...several years, probably...that's life! Ephesians 4:26-27 comes to mind..."Be angry and sin not...Neither give place to the devil." James 1 is a great place to abide today...especially verse 26 "..and bridleth not his tongue..." Yikes! Keep your mouth shut, Kari! Phil. 4:8 Keep your thinking right, Kari!
We are tempted when we are drawn away by our own lusts...desires of what we want...selfishness...how I am affected...how I don't like what is taking place...how my actions are perceived...why I did what I did...why can't you... See the wrong thinking patterns? I, me, my.
verse 16, 19 "Do not err (be mistaken or incorrect; make a mistake; sin: do wrong), my beloved brethren. ...let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath..."
When I step back and look at this...I need to let go and give it to God! I can ask questions...and I must listen to know how to speak rightly. So often, I think if I started there...I wouldn't have to deal with those angry thoughts which breed those crazy feelings! I start at the wrong point...a focus on self...and I am all mixed up and upside down in my thinking. James talks about that in chapter 1 verse 8..."A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways." As a woman...a created emotional being (this is not an excuse...it is an explanation)...it is easy to get all mixed up and upside down in my thinking. (Ummm...I know...first hand...that I am not the only female with this tendency! But I won't call you out!) Some times are much harder than others. My heart's prayer for today...and every day...is that God would keep me stable...and thinking right! Those things that I get angry about...ummm...not really as big of a deal as I first thought...most of the time. It is really wonderful...to get this figured out...while still in my slippers in the privacy of our home.
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