Yes, hot, stinkin’ frustrated mad.
I didn’t want to be. I wanted to let the frustration roll off my back and be logical about it, but my thoughts just wouldn’t behave. And honestly, I didn’t want to make them behave.
I just wanted to be mad.
I stewed and half-prayed. Refused to turn on the radio with good music that had potential to get me out of my funk, and went to bed that way. I got up the next morning somewhat better. It was a new day. I thought the anger was gone.
But it wasn’t.
Two nights later it came back. The one thing I had hoped would redeem my bad mood–the missed opportunity that had caused the anger, didn’t happen. And that ugly darkness boiled up in me again. I was so frustrated that I cleaned my house at 9:30 at night! (I’m usually a pumpkin by 9:00pm.)
All that work did help release some steam; however, my whole body throbbed the next morning because of the ridiculous effort I put into vacuuming and scrubbing my kids disgusting bathroom.
When I woke up to face a new day God whispered, “Take every thought captive…”
Like watering a thirsty plant, that whisper perked up my ears and softened my heart. I had been imprisoned by my thoughts. The real Andy, the one who normally offers much grace in situations, could not escape. But these words brought me freedom.
The battle really is in our minds isn’t it?
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Cor. 10:4-6).
Much grace and peace,
andy
