Thursday, October 29, 2020
Sabbath: Rest for Your Soul
I don't know about you, but my soul craves rest. I am tired. When you look around the world we live in right now, there is so much going on. So many inputs. So many words, opinions, thoughts, ideas, you name it. While some are good, challenging, and produce growth, the majority of it is just distracting noise.
The screaming of, "MOOOOOOOOOOOM!" quickly snaps me back to reality, though. A girl can dream, can't she? Whether it's your little ones needing your attention, a habitual scroll through social media, a TV show, sports game, argument you just had, the pile of laundry slowly creeping up to the ceiling, or one of the other million things vying for our attention, it's hard to ever allow our bodies, minds, and souls to find complete rest.
Too often, we walk around carrying a heavy weight on our shoulders. Burdens, worries, anxieties, confusion, trying to keep up and measure up to those around us, work loads, busyness, engaging in one more political post on Facebook, making sure our kids are signed up for all the things. It's too much. Too much for our mental and emotional health. At some point... we have to stop. We have to slow down. We have to match the pace of Jesus and rest our minds and bodies.
Did you know that even God rested? He created the entire world (What the heck am I complaining about?) and on the seventh day... He rested. (Genesis 2:2-3) For so long, Ty and I jammed every little thing we possibly could into our weeks. From Sunday to Sunday, our schedules kept our minds and bodies on the move. Very rarely did we stop, unplug, and allow ourselves to fully rest, which was harming our spiritual and mental health in the process.
We reached a point in our lives a bit over a year ago, where we just looked at each other and basically said, "We have to make some changes. We can't maintain this pace any longer." I know I've mentioned them in prior posts, but we both read To Hell with the Hustle by Jefferson Bethke and The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer during this time, while also diving deep into some incredible podcasts. The ideas these presented to us to contemplate and discuss and then ultimately implement into our daily rhythms were completely life-changing for our family. It was during this season, that I felt God working deeply in both of us to make some immense changes in our priorities, our pace, and our practices.
I remember one day, I listened to one of John Mark's podcast episodes on the Sabbath after having read his book, which has an entire section on Sabbath in it. He discussed how his family practices the Sabbath and the joy, worship, rest, and simplicity this weekly rhythm brings to him and his family. I remember him saying, it's like having Christmas once a week (minus the presents) and that's exactly how they treat it. A time to slow down, be with your family, relish in God's goodness, eat a good meal, relax, watch a fun movie, eat a yummy dessert, and do things that bring you peace and joy.
I love the way Bridgetown introduces the idea of Sabbath on their Practicing the Way series.
"We live in a cultural moment of restlessness. The unsatisfied desires of our human condition are exacerbated by the barrage of digital marketing from a consumption-oriented, consumer-driven economy. We have multi-billion dollar, multi-national industries hovering over our minds – via our devices – in an attempt to monetize our restlessness. But rest doesn’t come from buying a product; it comes from Sabbath. A word that literally means stopping. The Sabbath is an entire day set aside to stop - stop working, stop wanting, stop worrying, etc.—and to simply rest in God’s presence.
Most followers of Jesus (at least, in the modern, Western world) no longer practice Sabbath. This means many of us are missing out on one of the most life-giving practices of the way of Jesus, and arguably, one of the most important for our cultural moment." Bridgetown Church - Practicing the Way
After listening to that podcast I previously mentioned, I came to Ty and said, "I think we should start practicing Sabbath in our home." At this point in our journey, we were learning, growing, and implementing many different practices to deepen our faith and set our family on a good path, so of course he said yes. He's a good man.
We sat down and figured out what we wanted this day to look like for our family. We decided to Sabbath Saturday to Sunday, starting it off with a nice, big dinner and dessert. We do not do work on this day, so we spend Saturday morning getting the house clean and in order, getting the laundry done and put away, doing any yard work or projects that need to get done, etc. We start to transition into our Sabbath around 3:30 on Saturday, at which point I turn on some music, pour a glass of wine, and start cooking. In our family, we love food and I love cooking, so this brings me/us a lot of joy to have this time, but if cooking isn't your thing, do what brings you joy. Order a meal from your favorite restaurant (which we do periodically!), or go out to eat. Make it work for you and make it special. When we started this, I bought a new tablecloth and candle holder with five candles on it. The kids know that whenever I get these two things out, it's time for Sabbath. When we sit down for our meal, we each get to light our candle and share one thing we're thankful for. We would also like to add in a good reading to do before dinner, but we're still looking for the right one. Point being: Do what works for your family. Make it your own special time together.
The rest of the day is filled with countless other things such as getting outside as a family, going for a drive, watching movies, playing, playing, playing, taking naps, writing, journalling, drawing, etc. Ultimately, we step away from our worry, anxiety, busyness, and joy-suckingness (is that a word? Hmm...) the world lays on our shoulders. One very easy, specific way we do this is by stepping away from our phones. No social media, no mindless browsing, etc. We put our phones away and only use them to call or text if we need to. Ultimately, we seek to do things on Sabbath that a) bring us closer to the Lord and allow us to worship Him and all He's provided for us and b) bring peace, joy, and rest to our lives so that we can more genuinely worship the Lord.
I need to be completely authentic here for just a second, though. Please don't read this and have a picture in your head of a home of complete peace, no tantrums, no disciplines, no fighting, no having to wipe bottoms, kids that completely obey, no impatience... you get the picture. We try to create the most peaceful environment we can, but let's be real here... we have a 6, 5, and almost 4-year-old. There is very little peace and quiet until 8:00PM in our home. And to be honest, I really struggled with how to balance and embrace that in the midst of trying to have this day of "rest" each week. I still do. Loud yelling and big messes do not bring me peace, but watching my kids play, laugh, create, and imagine does brings me immense joy. I am working on trying to loosen the reigns a bit, let go of my own selfish desires, and just allow this to be a day that fills them up, as well. So, while there is still chaos, it's more important to me that the kids understand the significance of this day and why God created the Sabbath for us.
As we started this process, I wondered what this day would look like for us. Saturday is usually the day we get together with friends, other family members, do date night, sleepovers, etc. Because of this, I wasn't sure how to find balance in saying yes to things and still keeping this day sacred. In one podcast I listened to they said when it comes to deciding what to say yes to, and what they need to pass on, they always run it through the filter of if that event will be life-giving or not. I loved this approach and could easily wrap my head around, so in our house, we also use this. If the thing is going to cause you more stress, anxiety, separate you from the Lord, disrupt peace in the hearts of you or your family, don't feel bad saying no.
Because of the season of life we are in, Sabbath hasn't always felt like "Christmas morning" around here. There have been some really, really hard days. Our first couple of Sabbath experiences were quite incredible. Our home felt different. Our kids acted different. I walked into Sunday evening actually feeling rested. And then... it changed. As we begin to implement rhythms into our lives that draw us closer to the Lord, we will inevitably be faced with spiritual attack. Shortly after, our Sabbaths were chaos, thoroughly lacking peace and rest. I don't know what to do. This isn't what I expected. This isn't what I want for us. After those first few weeks and hearing how others experienced Sabbath, our expectations were high and all of a sudden, those expectations were not being met. We felt defeated. We felt like giving up.
Listen, it can definitely be hard. Dishes still have to get done, siblings are still going to argue, there will still have to be disciplines. Ty and I have had many, many discussions on how we can improve this day, new rhythms and practices we could implement to change the pace, and how to keep this day from feeling like any other day. When you are studying the subject and hear what a glorious experience it is for some families, you wonder what you're doing wrong. About a month ago, as we were discussing it, Ty said he felt like we were overcomplicating it. "Let's just keep it simple. Good food, no phones, spend time as a family." We had to adjust our expectations.
So, the key to our Sabbath? Simplicity. There is so much around us that strives to complicate, weigh down, and distract us from what is most important. We have to be willing to step away from all of that, at least for a moment, for our own mental health. Take a moment to be with God. Rest as He rested. And if this is a new practice for you and your family, do not expect perfection immediately. We're about a year into it, and we still haven't fully gotten there. Trust the process, trust that the Lord will provide, and trust that you're doing the right work.
If you'd like more information on Sabbath, Bridgetown Church in Portland, Oregon does an entire Sabbath series, both John Mark and Jefferson write about it in their books, and some of my favorite podcasts on the topic have come from Jeremy Pryor, his wife, and one of their daughter on the Family Teams podcast.
Friday, October 16, 2020
Walking with the Wise
Making friends as an adult is so hard. While you're trying to juggle family, work, all the extras, and growing your faith, it's an easy thing to just play it off as, "Who has time for friends anyways?" But, over the last few years, I see why community is so important in God's eyes. I'm not talking about having all the friends. I'm talking about having a small community of people around you that are invested in your life, your marriage, your kids, your finances, your everything. They are the people that are not afraid of butting in too much, because they already know your greatest struggles and are there to celebrate with you during all the exciting moments of your life. This, my friends, was not something I ever expected to have in my life.
I've always been someone who struggled to make friends. I grew up being painfully shy and as an adult, it is something I still struggle with. I want so desperately to be that fun, outgoing girl that lights up the room when she walks in, but that is just not me.
Let me start by saying, I am blessed with the most amazing mom, dad, and sisters + a mother-in-law who are all the most incredible people to go through life with. They are the very first people I go to to celebrate successes and to help me through the hard stuff. We text or talk almost daily (At least I'm getting better about it now that my kids are getting older!) and still get together nearly every Friday night for dinner. I am a firm believer that immediate family are some of the most important earthly relationships we can have. I once heard a sermon regarding sibling relationships as the most important, aside from your spouse, because after your parents pass, they are the only ones who will have spent your entire life with you and will be your longest-lasting relationship of them all. Ty and I have been extremely intentional in building and deepening this relationship amongst our own children for this very reason. Built-in besties for life.
However, when it comes to friends outside of my family, I have always seemed to have a difficult time building these friendships.
Over the last few years, I found myself falling into a very worldly, very ugly hole of insecurities. Like most people in this world, I sought to be well liked and known by people I hung around with. I felt an internal battle with knowing that God designed me uniquely and preciously in His image while still wanting to fit the mold of what the world says is special, beautiful, and desired. The two just didn't seem to match up and I didn't know how to handle that. I was more concerned about how people viewed me externally than who I was internally and who the Lord created me to be.
It was in this struggle that I began to realize that it was this exact mindset that was holding me back from really reaching deep community with other women. Instead of worrying where their hearts were at, where they stood on important life issues, how they were living out their roles as a wife and mother, and if they were deepening their relationship with the Lord, I was more concerned about whether they liked me. Whether they thought I was worthy of fitting into their life. The Lord opened my eyes in such a beautiful way and brought about some of the most amazing friendships I could have ever prayed for.
As I mentioned, I am not an outgoing person at all, so to spark up a conversation with someone in hopes of building a friendship... is the absolute worst for me. Knowing this about me, the Lord brought people back into my life that I had known in my past and used mutual friends to bring us all together. A small but mighty group of people I am so thankful to do life with. I could write a whole blog post about how God worked in our lives to bring us all together because it was only by His hand that it all unfolded the way it did. Regardless of where we once were or how we drifted apart, I feel completely blessed to have each of them in my life right now.
These are people that I know that either Ty or I could call at the drop of a hat and they would come. They know the ins and outs of my life. They love me, my family, and choose to walk alongside us as we try to figure life out. They allow me to be fully and completely myself, which is hard for me to do. It's easy to hold on to insecurities, and yes, there are still occasional times when I struggle because my mind automatically resorts to, "Oh gosh. What are they going to think about me?" But, the thing is... when you have genuine, authentic, God-given friendships in your life, His peace reigns. He gives me a sense of security to be myself around them and that is when I knew the difference between quality over quantity when it came to the relationships I wanted to invest in. When I found people that loved me for who I am... flaws, awkwardness, failures, and all.
I've always been someone who struggled to make friends. I grew up being painfully shy and as an adult, it is something I still struggle with. I want so desperately to be that fun, outgoing girl that lights up the room when she walks in, but that is just not me.
Let me start by saying, I am blessed with the most amazing mom, dad, and sisters + a mother-in-law who are all the most incredible people to go through life with. They are the very first people I go to to celebrate successes and to help me through the hard stuff. We text or talk almost daily (At least I'm getting better about it now that my kids are getting older!) and still get together nearly every Friday night for dinner. I am a firm believer that immediate family are some of the most important earthly relationships we can have. I once heard a sermon regarding sibling relationships as the most important, aside from your spouse, because after your parents pass, they are the only ones who will have spent your entire life with you and will be your longest-lasting relationship of them all. Ty and I have been extremely intentional in building and deepening this relationship amongst our own children for this very reason. Built-in besties for life.
However, when it comes to friends outside of my family, I have always seemed to have a difficult time building these friendships.
Over the last few years, I found myself falling into a very worldly, very ugly hole of insecurities. Like most people in this world, I sought to be well liked and known by people I hung around with. I felt an internal battle with knowing that God designed me uniquely and preciously in His image while still wanting to fit the mold of what the world says is special, beautiful, and desired. The two just didn't seem to match up and I didn't know how to handle that. I was more concerned about how people viewed me externally than who I was internally and who the Lord created me to be.
It was in this struggle that I began to realize that it was this exact mindset that was holding me back from really reaching deep community with other women. Instead of worrying where their hearts were at, where they stood on important life issues, how they were living out their roles as a wife and mother, and if they were deepening their relationship with the Lord, I was more concerned about whether they liked me. Whether they thought I was worthy of fitting into their life. The Lord opened my eyes in such a beautiful way and brought about some of the most amazing friendships I could have ever prayed for.
As I mentioned, I am not an outgoing person at all, so to spark up a conversation with someone in hopes of building a friendship... is the absolute worst for me. Knowing this about me, the Lord brought people back into my life that I had known in my past and used mutual friends to bring us all together. A small but mighty group of people I am so thankful to do life with. I could write a whole blog post about how God worked in our lives to bring us all together because it was only by His hand that it all unfolded the way it did. Regardless of where we once were or how we drifted apart, I feel completely blessed to have each of them in my life right now.
These are people that I know that either Ty or I could call at the drop of a hat and they would come. They know the ins and outs of my life. They love me, my family, and choose to walk alongside us as we try to figure life out. They allow me to be fully and completely myself, which is hard for me to do. It's easy to hold on to insecurities, and yes, there are still occasional times when I struggle because my mind automatically resorts to, "Oh gosh. What are they going to think about me?" But, the thing is... when you have genuine, authentic, God-given friendships in your life, His peace reigns. He gives me a sense of security to be myself around them and that is when I knew the difference between quality over quantity when it came to the relationships I wanted to invest in. When I found people that loved me for who I am... flaws, awkwardness, failures, and all.
God desires for us to live in community. "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." John 15:12-13. Although, I think it's okay, and very important, for us to be conscious about who we allow into our inner circle. "Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.'" 1 Corinthians 15:33. As Christians, we need discernment to know whether a friendship is one that will ultimately help strengthen our walk with the Lord or if it might cause us to fall into the patterns of the world instead. Proverbs 18:24 says, "One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Over the last few years, I have had to come to peace with the fact that fewer, stronger, more intimate friendships are a far greater blessing than being well-liked by lots of people. I once heard that you become a combination of your five closest friends. So, if you think about those people in your life, do you feel good about who you will become? Will their passions, values, and the way they do life rub off on you in a good way?
"Friends multiply joys, and they divide sorrows. They encourage you in your strengths and they build you in your weaknesses. They make a massive difference to every aspect of your life."
-Stephen Foster - Pastor at HTB Church
Finding these friends, and keeping them, are a skill we must be intentional about. Especially during certain seasons of our lives when it is easy to disregard them due to the busyness we face. Friendships don't just happen and remain strong. It takes a conscious effort on all parts to grow and be strengthened. I often think what a gift it is for our children to learn what true friendship looks like by our example. As Proverbs 13:20 says, "Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm." I want to teach my children to be intentional about the friends they choose to walk with through life. I want them to be aware of choosing wise friends, so that they have support when it comes to standing firm against worldly pressures. I thank God that I know they are being raised alongside other children who are being taught the same values and beliefs we are working to instill in our own kids.
Lord, I pray that you help me be wise about who I open my heart to because I realize how deeply these relationships influence the type of person I am becoming. I thank You for a family that are truly my best friends and for the other friendships You have brought into my life along the way. I praise You for relationships with people who influence me to be better and dive deeper into relationship with You. By walking with them, I know I am becoming more wise, and what a gift that is.
Thursday, October 1, 2020
Anger is a Bugger.
I have started to write this blog post three different times within the last week. I really couldn't figure out what God wanted me to share and didn't feel that He was laying anything specific on my heart. Writer's block, if you will.
So here I am. A new week. Taking a stab at it again.
Recently, I shared an Instagram post about an experience I had with my kids, and it hit me. I knew what I needed to write about, primarily to work myself through it. It wasn't something I felt particularly comfortable talking about publicly, out of fear that it might make me seem like a bad mom. I knew I needed to dive deeper into it because it is something I have really struggled with lately. While I have some of the most fun, incredible, God-filled, loving, cuddle-bug moments with my kids... this post is not that.
Over the last week, Jude's teacher has been taking the kids through some lessons about empathy and what that means. In doing so, they've been learning about big emotions and how those emotions can often affect those around us, whether we mean to or not. Big stuff for 5 & 6-year-olds, but soo amazing. I love when my kids get fed life lessons from people other than me and Ty.
As I was listening in on Jude's lesson, I found myself more and more intrigued. The character in the video they were watching was talking about how when we feel big emotions, we often get stuck in a maze of that emotion. Meaning, we have a hard time finding our way out of it, causing us to get more and more frustrated and tangled.
In Ty's testimony, he describes it like spiraling into a dark hole. First anger, then shame, followed by guilt. The progression just keeps spiraling downward, making it difficult to pull yourself out of it. So, it makes me wonder... how do we work ourselves through negative emotions in a way that allows us to express what we're feeling without affecting those around us? How do we work through these big emotions without getting stuck in the maze, or following into the downward spiral?
The other day, I was simultaneously trying to clean the kitchen and dining room area from the messes of the day while putting away the remaining groceries. Busy, distracted, and annoyed by the mess. I had taken the garbage out of the can and instead of just walking it out, I left the bag leaned up against the door to take out once I had a free moment. For whatever reason, it caught the attention of all three kids and they started to smack it with their stick swords, puncturing holes in it. I lost it. I yelled. I got so angry.
Very dramatically, to prove a point to my 6, 5, and 3-year-old, I grabbed the garbage and stormed outside. I grumbled and huffed all the way to the garbage can, where I literally said out loud to myself, "What are you doing?" As I walked inside, I prayed for God to give me what I needed to make the situation right. I knew right then that I would have to practice humility towards me littles ones. Man, oh man... not easy at all for me. I went to each of them individually and apologized, explaining to them that anger is an okay emotion to feel at times, but that it's never okay to take that anger out on those around us. Each gave me a hug, told me they forgave me, and also apologized for playing with the garbage.
I often talk with my kids about feeling big emotions, but I don't think we talk about it often enough as adults. We're expected to be at this point in our lives where we can handle it. Where we're able to deal with it and move on. But, I think it's important to recognize that even as adults, we need to have coping techniques when feelings like this arise. I wish I had the answer for how to do that, but I suppose I'm writing this post from a perspective of, "Share your wisdom with me." because I want to hear how you handle these moments and work yourself through feelings of frustration, nervousness, anxiousness, sadness, anger, etc.
I so badly wish that in those moments when I've reached my breaking point, I could just stop. Pray. Breathe. Pray some more. Recoup. Man, wouldn't it be much easier to do that in the moment rather than having to come back and restore a damaged relationship because of a reaction that in no way reflects the way of Jesus and the Fruits of the Spirit.
Anger is a bugger. The most frustrating thing about this stupid emotion I often feel is that I would not say I was an angry person growing up. I was pretty level headed and didn't get riled up too easily. So, why now? Why has this become my go-to? Is it the world that we're facing - always on the move, busy, hurried, that whenever something disrupts our flow, we can't handle it? I don't know where my short-temper developed, but I felt the need to turn to the Bible regarding what it has to say about anger and handling it. Did you know there is so much about anger in the Bible? Most that I read dealt with turning away from anger, not allowing it to control your life or how you treat others along the way.
Ephesians 4:26-27 says, "'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."
This verse. Whew. I love the first part, which is quoting Psalm 4:4, but hits on the point I want to ultimately come to peace with through all of this: It's okay to feel big emotions, but it is not okay to allow that emotion to cause us to sin against others. Anger is okay to feel and experience. It's normal and inevitable. It's not okay when I project that onto those around me. The same rings true with all big, negative emotions. I also love in this verse when it says, "...and do not give the devil a foothold." because that's exactly what he wants. He preys on us when we are weak. When that anger begins to arise, you can bet that the devil is watching closely, ready to pounce on the opportunity to use that against us.
God is so much bigger than that, though. It is only by His strength that we can work through these moments of weakness. It is through prayer, confession, forgiveness, and grace, that these moments can and will be restored.
So here I am. A new week. Taking a stab at it again.
Recently, I shared an Instagram post about an experience I had with my kids, and it hit me. I knew what I needed to write about, primarily to work myself through it. It wasn't something I felt particularly comfortable talking about publicly, out of fear that it might make me seem like a bad mom. I knew I needed to dive deeper into it because it is something I have really struggled with lately. While I have some of the most fun, incredible, God-filled, loving, cuddle-bug moments with my kids... this post is not that.
Over the last week, Jude's teacher has been taking the kids through some lessons about empathy and what that means. In doing so, they've been learning about big emotions and how those emotions can often affect those around us, whether we mean to or not. Big stuff for 5 & 6-year-olds, but soo amazing. I love when my kids get fed life lessons from people other than me and Ty.
As I was listening in on Jude's lesson, I found myself more and more intrigued. The character in the video they were watching was talking about how when we feel big emotions, we often get stuck in a maze of that emotion. Meaning, we have a hard time finding our way out of it, causing us to get more and more frustrated and tangled.
In Ty's testimony, he describes it like spiraling into a dark hole. First anger, then shame, followed by guilt. The progression just keeps spiraling downward, making it difficult to pull yourself out of it. So, it makes me wonder... how do we work ourselves through negative emotions in a way that allows us to express what we're feeling without affecting those around us? How do we work through these big emotions without getting stuck in the maze, or following into the downward spiral?
The other day, I was simultaneously trying to clean the kitchen and dining room area from the messes of the day while putting away the remaining groceries. Busy, distracted, and annoyed by the mess. I had taken the garbage out of the can and instead of just walking it out, I left the bag leaned up against the door to take out once I had a free moment. For whatever reason, it caught the attention of all three kids and they started to smack it with their stick swords, puncturing holes in it. I lost it. I yelled. I got so angry.
Very dramatically, to prove a point to my 6, 5, and 3-year-old, I grabbed the garbage and stormed outside. I grumbled and huffed all the way to the garbage can, where I literally said out loud to myself, "What are you doing?" As I walked inside, I prayed for God to give me what I needed to make the situation right. I knew right then that I would have to practice humility towards me littles ones. Man, oh man... not easy at all for me. I went to each of them individually and apologized, explaining to them that anger is an okay emotion to feel at times, but that it's never okay to take that anger out on those around us. Each gave me a hug, told me they forgave me, and also apologized for playing with the garbage.
I often talk with my kids about feeling big emotions, but I don't think we talk about it often enough as adults. We're expected to be at this point in our lives where we can handle it. Where we're able to deal with it and move on. But, I think it's important to recognize that even as adults, we need to have coping techniques when feelings like this arise. I wish I had the answer for how to do that, but I suppose I'm writing this post from a perspective of, "Share your wisdom with me." because I want to hear how you handle these moments and work yourself through feelings of frustration, nervousness, anxiousness, sadness, anger, etc.
I so badly wish that in those moments when I've reached my breaking point, I could just stop. Pray. Breathe. Pray some more. Recoup. Man, wouldn't it be much easier to do that in the moment rather than having to come back and restore a damaged relationship because of a reaction that in no way reflects the way of Jesus and the Fruits of the Spirit.
Ephesians 4:26-27 says, "'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."
This verse. Whew. I love the first part, which is quoting Psalm 4:4, but hits on the point I want to ultimately come to peace with through all of this: It's okay to feel big emotions, but it is not okay to allow that emotion to cause us to sin against others. Anger is okay to feel and experience. It's normal and inevitable. It's not okay when I project that onto those around me. The same rings true with all big, negative emotions. I also love in this verse when it says, "...and do not give the devil a foothold." because that's exactly what he wants. He preys on us when we are weak. When that anger begins to arise, you can bet that the devil is watching closely, ready to pounce on the opportunity to use that against us.
God is so much bigger than that, though. It is only by His strength that we can work through these moments of weakness. It is through prayer, confession, forgiveness, and grace, that these moments can and will be restored.
As I went on to read, Ephesians 4:31-32 it says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
How much different might that silly garbage incident had been if I had just stopped what I was trying to get done, taken a deep breath, explained to my children why I couldn't have them do that, possibly disciplined if necessary if they chose not to listen, and been able to move on without letting my body rise up to that level over something so small.
Maybe that's the ticket. Slow down. Consider possible outcomes and determine which path you want this to go down and what type of person you want to portray to those around you. I want my children to see Christ reflected in how I handle these situations. I want to be a person that practices what I preach in my home. It's a daily practice. I know I have said it before, but I'll say it again... freedom from sin can only be found in and through Christ. If I don't want to allow my anger to cause me to sin, I best be turning to the Lord during those times. Lord, my Lord, work in my heart. I want so desperately to reflect the Fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) I mean, come on... not one was reflected in the garbage debacle, but I also know I serve a forgiving God who restores, renews, and will give me plenty of other chances to practice again.
How much different might that silly garbage incident had been if I had just stopped what I was trying to get done, taken a deep breath, explained to my children why I couldn't have them do that, possibly disciplined if necessary if they chose not to listen, and been able to move on without letting my body rise up to that level over something so small.
Maybe that's the ticket. Slow down. Consider possible outcomes and determine which path you want this to go down and what type of person you want to portray to those around you. I want my children to see Christ reflected in how I handle these situations. I want to be a person that practices what I preach in my home. It's a daily practice. I know I have said it before, but I'll say it again... freedom from sin can only be found in and through Christ. If I don't want to allow my anger to cause me to sin, I best be turning to the Lord during those times. Lord, my Lord, work in my heart. I want so desperately to reflect the Fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) I mean, come on... not one was reflected in the garbage debacle, but I also know I serve a forgiving God who restores, renews, and will give me plenty of other chances to practice again.
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