Anger

I’d just bought groceries and was heading to the car when I noticed a long line of traffic in the parking lot. A truck was stopped as the driver waited for a car to back out of a handicapped spot. Obviously, the driver of the truck couldn’t go anywhere unless he wanted to plow into the car.

But another truck behind that first truck, well, the driver was angry about the wait. He blew his horn, flailing his arms as if this were the most awful thing he’d ever had to endure. This only enraged the driver of the first truck.

Both drivers were now shouting obscenities at each other, loud enough to be heard even at the far end of the parking lot where my car waited.

I got to my car and turned to see what would happen when both men parked their trucks just a few feet away from each other.

There wasn’t a physical confrontation, at least outside the store. But the hateful words they continued to throw at each other like sharp stones sliced through the air as moms pushed their little ones in shopping carts.

My heart sank.  I mean, it really did. I refuse to be desensitized. I refuse to laugh it off as, “Well, that’s the world we live in today.” I refuse to let the violence and language so prevalent in society make me feel like this is the norm and that it’s okay to act this way or witness these things without being disturbed by them.

I refuse to be cold, hard-hearted when I see things like that. I refuse to find humor or any sort of thrill from it.

I think back to my grandpa, the shock on his face when he’d watch the evening news. He had been in WWII and witnessed awful things, and yet, he remained sensitive enough to find violence troubling when it showed up on his television set.

While I loaded groceries into my car, I prayed and asked God to help those men and to help me understand why they both got that angry.

God helped me to see that the enemy was behind it. If Satan can get us to bite and strike out at each other, tearing each other down, he doesn’t have to work as hard to destroy us. We destroy ourselves.

I mean, think about it. I just witnessed a man filled with venom striking out at another man because he had to wait to park his truck. The other man returned the same venom. Can’t you see the enemy in those vehicles, just egging them on to fits of rage, and laughing when they fall for it as he slinks away?

So my question for you is this: Are you letting Satan stir anger within your heart? Are you feeling justified by being angry, that those you’re angry with deserve your wrath?

Satan is on the prowl, my friends. Don’t let anger trip you and cause you to fall into his trap.

“If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” (Galatians 5:15 NIV.)

“And ‘don’t sin by letting anger control you.’ Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:26-27 NLT.)

 ”Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.” (Psalm 4:4 NLT.)

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.” (James 1:19-20 NLT.)

(Photo from Pexels.)

Do You Want a Spark or a Flame?

Are you just getting by, barely hanging on? Does it seem like life is tossing you back and forth like a ping-pong ball? Or perhaps it seems the enemy is constantly hanging around, discouraging you and lying in your ear, making you feel like you’re a big fat failure and you can’t do anything right.

My dear friends, keep going! Press on! Stand strong!

Does it seem like I’m yelling at you? I am! (But not in a bad way. Keep reading.)

When I was reading Scripture this morning, I found a note I’d written a long time ago, asking myself the question:

“Do you want a spark or a flame?”

I don’t know about you, but I want a flame. A big roaring flame! I want to set the world ablaze with all that God wants to do through me. I want to be bold. Obey. Stand strong. Press on. Reach and grab onto my heavenly Father with all that I’ve got and never let go.

And that’s what I want for YOU.  (See, that’s why I was “yelling.” 🙂 )

If you feel at odds with so many things in life right now, like you’re being squeezed, don’t let worldly worries suffocate you. Don’t let the enemy make you fearful or discourage you. Press in closer to God.

You see, a spark is nice. It can be the start of something powerful.

But a flame, well, the flame shines bright. The flame is God’s power working through you now. The flame refuses to back down because of the darkness. The flame does not fear the darkness but dispels it, disarming it.

The flame doesn’t whimper in the corner, fearing the darkness will overtake it or afraid of overstepping boundaries. The flame doesn’t pull back but pushes forward. The flame roars and is bold, swelling and growing because of the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit. The flame hushes only to listen to the voice of God and no other.

But you and I, we have to do our part. We have to be obedient. We have to seek God above all else. We have to fan the flame. We have to trust in the power, the direction of Almighty God, and not try to contain the flame He sets ablaze in our hearts out of fear of offending others or losing control.

When we give control of our lives over to God, surrendering it all to Him, that’s when the world will see Him in us. And that’s when He can use us powerfully.

“This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:6-7 NLT.)

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16 NIV.)

(Photo from Pexels.)

 

 

Focusing on God

Do you struggle with past failures? I do. And sometimes it can be really hard during quiet days because the enemy tries to sneak his lies into our thoughts:

You totally messed up.

You really hurt them.

You call yourself a Christian?

They never wanted you around anyway.

You don’t matter.

You’re replaceable.

They’re waiting for you to fail.

Suffocating? Good.

Feel that squeeze? Even better.

God is so disappointed in you.

Now wait just a minute. When you set your focus on following God instead of pleasing everyone else, God is NOT going to be disappointed in you.

So just relax. Whatever game the enemy is trying to play, put up your hand and say, “I’m out.” (Or you can whisper, “Jesus” or start singing and praising God and that old devil will flee!)

And you don’t have to follow the enemy when he tries to take you on his twisted ride down memory lane, searching for what you may or may not have done wrong.

Pray and ask God what you can do about it today. If He tells you, “Just keep your eyes on Me,” then you have your answer. If He tells you to make a call, pray, or forgive someone (that someone could be YOU!), then obey Him.

Always, in all things, obey God and trust that He has every right answer and every right step you will ever need to take. (Thank you, Lord!)

Just like a lovely blossom that grows from a cactus, there is beauty and surprising wonder in the battle for our souls when we focus on following God and pleasing Him and Him alone.

And there is always victory.

“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.” (Isaiah 26:3-4 NIV.)

When Your Defenses Are Down

If you’re fighting the flu, it’s hard to fight off other infections.  Your physical defenses are down.

The same is true when your spiritual defenses are down. You haven’t been praying, pushing God off to the side thinking you’ll talk to Him later, and reading the Bible?  Well you’re too busy for that.

Until something hits you hard. Maybe not a tragedy but something comes along and aggravates you and your patience melts like an ice cube on a hot sidewalk leaving you foaming at the mouth in anger and narrowing your focus to the problem and the impossibility of fixing it or figuring it out.

You’ve just been caught in a trap, my friend. Remember the cartoon where a loop of rope is hidden under a pile of leaves to catch the unsuspecting rabbit?

Well here you are, the rabbit, hanging upside down from a tree just kicking and flailing and totally stuck. Before long you run out of kick and you just dangle there.  You’re plumb tuckered out.  The blood is rushing to your head and now you’re forced to hang there and think about what just happened.  If you would have paid attention, you would have seen those sneaky eyes peeking out from behind the tree watching you and waiting in the darkness to pounce on you when your defenses were down.  But you were too busy.  Too busy for God and too busy to be alert.

Of course the enemy comes out from hiding, smiling at you and laughing this sickening laugh that makes your skin want to peel off and crumble. He’ll start talking to you while you’re hanging there, telling you you’re defeated, and he’s got you now.  He’ll remind you of the fit of rage you just had, and he’ll smirk when he tells you he caused that whole situation.  He’ll laugh when he tells you how this time, you really messed up and it’s too late to turn back to God now.  Yes, he’ll even remind you how you were pushing God away because you were too busy.  And he’ll ask you why you think God would want anything to do with you now.

My friend, it’s time to cut through those lies with the truth of God’s word that’s hidden in your heart:

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  (Hebrews 13:5 NIV.)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  (1 John 1:9 NIV.)

“I have loved you with an everlasting love…”  (Jeremiah 31:3 NIV.)

Speak His Word with authority from the core of your spirit and watch as those words slice right through that rope like the sword that it is. And don’t worry about the fall.  That pile of leaves?  Satan may have used them to disguise his trap, but God will use them to cushion your fall.

So stand up, brush those leaves off, and turn your back on that lying enemy, and press on. And after you thank God for that rescue, ask Him to forgive you for pushing Him aside and ask Him to help you make Him your number one priority.  When you do, everything else will fall into place.  And you’ll know the next time there’s a trap up ahead.

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Ephesians 6:11 NIV.)

 

The Monster in the Closet

My first known fear surfaced when I was about four years old. I believed there was something evil lurking in my closet and if I took my eyes off of it to go to sleep, it was going to get me.  I’d lie awake and stare at the door knob, just waiting to see it slowly turn and this “thing” jump out at me.  Eventually I’d fall asleep only to have nightmares of twisted faces, contorted and monstrous looking.  I’d scream and wake everyone in the house.

Then I grew up.

Satan would love it if you and I live in fear; if we’re so fixed on that fear that we don’t look anywhere else. Or if we give in to that fear and give up, stop trying, believe something is just too hard, too big for us to accomplish.  The enemy wants us to fail.  Do you really understand that?  Satan will kick harder when you’re down.  He won’t pull any punches and will only laugh when you bleed.

And Satan will do whatever it takes to sidetrack you. I have to wonder if he laughs when we fall for his distractions, like a dog following the familiar scent of the way back home but veers off course because someone nearby is grilling hot dogs.

So what are we supposed to do?

First, remember who you are and Who you belong to.  I like thinking of it this way to go along with the idea of Satan beating us up:  Satan is a bully and Jesus Christ is your big Brother.  Go tell your Brother, and He’ll take care of that old bully.

When it comes to dealing with distractions, beware of anything that leads your heart away from God and that makes your focus bounce all over the place. Stay on the path God has for you and forget about the hot dogs.

And when it comes to fear, your Heavenly Father will lead you to that closet and open the door. With one hand firmly holding yours, He will turn on the light to reveal what is lurking inside:  Nothing.  There is nothing to fear when His hand is in yours.

“For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”  (Isaiah 41:13 NIV.)