A Daily Devotion for Tuesday, November 10
Ephesians 4:25-32
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 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.
This scripture and devotion are excellent reminders to us all. The negative thoughts and feelings which we hold on to only harm us. And when we allow those feelings to affect our relationships with others, they pull others into our stubborn resentments. The flip side of this for me, is that most of the time my resentments come from my own faults or my own inflated sense of importance. For example, if I do not get the attention or recognition I feel I “deserve”, I may hold negative feelings for someone else, expecting them to “see the light” and take care of my feelings. Recently I have been trying to notice my expectations of others. Expectations commonly lead to hard feelings. “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”
Holy Lord, thank you for these wise words this morning from Paul. Holding on to hard feelings and anger never helps anything. Help me to live out this wise counsel, and in so doing, shine the light of Christ. Amen
Becky, transforming
Ephesians 4:25-32
How often do we let something fester and grow worse instead of confronting it and putting the problem away? It seems to be part of the human condition. I would hope that once confronted, we not only solve this problem but realize there is a better way. As Paul says in verse 31, get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and anger, along with every form of malice. I believe the UR author saw this as a lesson and now knows how to handle these situations in the future.
Prayer: Gracious God, an important lesson for us all both in these verses and today’s author. AMEN
Ephesians 4:25-32
I very truly wish I could say that all my thoughts have been and are pure, kind, and thoughtful. Regretfully, I cannot. I know it becomes better each day as I walk with Christ but I think it is unlikely that I will never be frustrated, angry, or disappointed, that might be out of my control but what is in my control is how I react. I focused on verse 32, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God has forgiven you.”
I think sometimes we can spend too much time thinking about how some people treat us and we forget how much grace God has given us. God‘s grace should…
Ephesians 4:25-32
”Anger management” has become cliche, but every one of us can use a bit of it at times. The perceived anonymity of the internet has highlighted and worsened the tendency to hurl insults and heap disdain on those with whom we disagree. The world could use a good dose of the wisdom of Ephesians. The Lions Club’s initiative of
placing all those yard signs that simply say, “Be kind,” is a nice reminder of this more excellent way to be.
Prayer - God of patience, I pray for Your forgiveness for times when I let anger overtake my better self, particularly when it causes hurt to others. I pray with the psalmist that You would create in me…