25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. – Ephesians 4:25 – 27

This is the type of passage that wanders across my attention when I am stressed or annoyed, remembering snippets of “In your anger do not sin”, thoughts of the end of the day and pondering being truthful, fully truthful. 

Thank the Lord that in Jesus, we are made righteous before God and while this level of truth and anger management seems at times, impossible, I am reminded that if I am focusing on how hard it seems, I am focusing on the wrong thing.  The focus needs to be squarely on Jesus and his power to change me, help me to grow to be more like him, help me to put these verses into action from my heart.

To be honest, I find there are times when emotions are big and there is nothing to pray but “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus”.  I cry out to my Lord, for his strength and power, to stop me falling into sin and to not give in to the Devil.  It’s far from a complicated prayer, but it has its place – as it calms, reorients, helps me pause and think through what is happening for me and for others in the situation.    There are then other times, when I know that God gently hears and heals my hurts and wounds as I confess the details of anger and sin and falsehood that have happened to me and I have inflicted on others.

What a joy that the devil is defeated.  What a joy that God is our Father.

Andrea Pryde – Creek Road