No more footholds

I have struggled this week deeply with being overtaken by my emotions- the main one being anger. That is a little scary for me because I am not usually angry. I would like to blame it on the end of the semester and the kids being crazy at school and busy christmas and tensions rising, but I simply can't. I must do two things.

1. I must take responsibility for my actions and feeling.

2. I must refute lies and accusations and giving into negative emotions with truth.

James 1 says,
"but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.  My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."

 I have been quick to anger. I have given birth to sin. I have let the devil have a foothold.

I struggle separating my emotions from truth. Is that really how I act or is that something I project on myself or something someone incorrectly projects on me? How do I tell the difference?

Today, I felt led to write it all down (well in one area of my life). Each judgment others put on me, judgement I put on others, and judgment I place on others. And then truth right next to each one of those- actual things myself or others have said or done to indicate that it is true or not true.

Then I made a sort of "statement" about who I will be... it sounds hokey, but it was powerful. May it encourage you to fight judgment with truth.

I will be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. I will give all of my energy to loving others. I will fight gossip with truth. I will not listen to my emotions. I will not give into anger or give the devil and foothold. I will speak words that are life-giving and build others up. I will be prayerful. I will carefully weight others words and actions and not carry burdens that are not meant to carry. I will pray for other when they hurt me.  I will bring things into the light that need to be exposed. I will forgive. I will ask forgiveness. I will not judge. I will not worry what others think, but only what God thinks. I will walk by the Spirit and not by the flesh. When I do walk by the flesh, I will refuse to speak negatively of myself and will simply repent and then walk in the light.

I am made in God’s image.

I am being made more like Jesus daily.

My sins are forgiven.

I am free. I am free. I am free.