Friday, December 2, 2011

Defeat the Foothold

When you keep your emotions and hurt feelings locked inside it does nothing but cut you deeper. Withholding feelings and not pouring out truth will only build up anger and frustration, which gives the devil a great opportunity to attack. Has someone has said or done something to you that got under your skin and really bothered you, but you did not take any action because you thought you could just "sweep it under the rug"? However, you find that you are constantly shoveling junk under the rug, and you do your best to carry on being KIND! Out of the goodness of your heart you sincerely try your best to keep your mind off the negativity of the situation with that person; however, you realize that the more you avoid the thoughts and feelings the more often they come up. Eventually,  your emotions get strung out to shreds and you reach a breaking point ?! 

The Devil Will Take a Hit, Will You Withstand ?!

We all fall into traps and God knows this will happen and he shows grace every time, "Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that GOD will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will." 2 Timothy 2:25-26. You have to decide how you are going to handle yourself when you reach your breaking point. Either you can act out in anger or find it within you to humble yourself and express your feelings with the person in a rational and kind way. We find in Ephesians, "in your anger do not sin" so there you have it, a direct route to take, God is telling you not to let your anger defeat you and be wise with your actions!!! Do not listen to another lie that the devil is feeding you because it likes to magnify things and your anger to get the best of you if you do not get it under control. 

Communication Carries You Far

So what do you do with all those conflicting feelings that are eating at you ? You may not think it is impossible to sort through the complexity your situation; however, God is not going to push you harder than you can withstand. Personally, I cannot stand confrontation and I will avoid a situation that bothers me until it starts completely consuming me. I will try to convince myself that I can handle the situation, and I am great at pulling out the idea of, oh I just do not need to worry about it because time will just mend things. However, that is SO wrong the bible tell us, "do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold" (Ephesians 4:26-27). I have learned that if something bothers me then it is more than likely not going to just disappear. Quit waiting around and start communicating.  Life is not easy by any means, we all face troubles and hardships; however, you can either live in bitter discontentment or in peace through faith in God. In Matthew 18:15-17 we find valuable and wise action steps to follow, "If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you. If he listens, you've made a friend. If he won't listen, take one or two others along so that the presence of witnesses will keep things honest, and try again. If he still won't listen, tell the church. If he won't listen to the church, you'll have to start over from scratch, confront him with the need for repentance, and offer again God's forgiving love."

Confidence in Yourself and Trust in God

Taking the first step is always scary because you are moving into the unknown, but rest assured that you are moving with God and remember this, "For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.
 He gives us grace and glory.The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right." Psalm 84:11. Be truthful with your words and speak on what is pressing on your heart, and all of those negative and lingering emotions that hang heavy on your heart will no longer exist. You are making yourself whole by resolving the conflict that you are battling with the feelings that you are holding onto and you will feel peace once you let it all go. In Epehsians 4:31-32 we are told  to, "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." 



Action Steps


Pray for guidance and wisdom.
Abandon the lies that the devil has been feeding you.
Speak truth and remember God is near every heart. 
Forgive and move on with kindness uniting you as one through your faith.
Positive thoughts will lead to positive outcomes.

You need the Lord all of time, and I promise that the more that you seek him the closer he will draw to you. He is willing to help you through anything. 











4 comments:

  1. Just what I needed. Thank you for always being bold to speak the truth!

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  2. Wonderful post- Too often, I find myself just holding onto things rather than communicating them. This is a great reminder that it's important to express those feelings as soon as possible!

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  3. Awesome, awesome post! I've gotta say, thank you to all you ladies for starting this blog! I look forward to reading what y'all have to say every morning! It's been EXACTLY what I've need to hear every time! You really have no idea! It hits the spot every time! This blog is a true blessing and you are touching lives more than you know through it!

    May God continue to use all four of you through this blog!

    Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

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  4. Great post as always Jessie Bear :) xO

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