When the Devil gets a Foothold
Proverbs 29:11, "Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm to the end."
Today, I was that fool. That's right. A. FOOL. I can admit it but it really sucks to admit.
Have you ever had one of those days where you're approached by a good friend while yelling at your husband in the parking lot of church? NO? Well, I must be alone in this because that totally happened to me. This was post slamming the door so hard that I put a hole in the wall (enter: eye rolling emoji). Yep, I gave full vent to my rage. No, it did not bring peace or a solution to the problem at hand. It did, however, cause a couple of additional problems in need of repair.
If you know me at all, even if just through this blog, then you know that anger is a huge struggle for me. Rather, my lack of discipline to give my anger over to the Lord is a huge struggle for me. "Because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires," James 1:20.
Ironically, we have been teaching the kids James 1:19, "Everybody should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." I guess, I was getting too cocky with my recovery. I put my guard down. Just when I thought; 'I don't really struggle with unrighteous anger anymore.' I was shown error in my thoughts.
When the devil gets a foothold we turn from the Lord and do irresponsible, unwise, considerably foolish things. When we do not deal with our emotions immediately we are letting the devil get a foothold into our lives and we risk allowing him to take over other areas of our life as well.
I did not deal with my anger immediately, even though I was still very much in the heat of my rage. I chose not to do as I tell my children and "use my words" but slam the door. I then had the opportunity to listen to the Holy Spirit and confess to women in my life who are walking steadily with the Lord and will not only pray for me but spur me on to do better. I then humbled myself before my husband in front of my children and asked for his forgiveness. I had the chance to illustrate how mommies make mistakes and how unrighteous anger does not produce good. I also get to opportunity to clean up my physical mess, though much more trivial than the emotional mess I caused.
In this, I am thankful for a Father that forgives me when I come to him with my sin. I am a constant progress in constant need of a Savior. I cannot do me on my own. When I am weak, He is made strong. He is strong enough to carry me through my own brokenness and He is strong enough to support me when I have to admit my wrongs to others. I am thankful for a husband (broken in his own ways) willing to forgive me and love me when I make a mess of things.
Credit to: Thoughts about God
