Tag: anger

Barefoot Devotions

What’s Brewing In Your Heart? Lesson Two | Wrath

Hannah B.

What does it mean to brew wrath in your heart?
The sin of wrath is a fit of very strong anger or an uncontrolled hatred towards another person.

Other words for wrath: Rage, Fury, Outrage, Indignation, Vexation, Hot Temper, Short fuse

Examples of Wrath:

• Road Rage

• Screaming, shouting and telling someone what you really think of them by putting them down.

• Child or spousal abuse

• An offended person decides to resort to physical violence rather than calming discussing and dealing with the situation or walking away. (Seeing red)

What can wrath lead to?

• Murder

• Jail/Prison

• Other people fearing the person with the issue of wrath

• A poor Christian example, leading people away from God based on their actions not modeling Christlike behavior.

• No friends/ Uninvited to gatherings because people are afraid the person cannot control themselves.

• Poor reputation

• Loss of job.

• Loss of family

Bible verses regarding the sin of wrath:

Proverbs 29:11 – Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end.
Proverbs 15:1 – A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Proverbs 15:18 – A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.
Proverbs 22:24 – Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered.
Psalm37:8-9 – Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret, it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.
Ephesians 6:4 – In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.
Proverbs 14:17 – A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated.
Colossians 3:8 – but now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips.

Takeaway:
The difference between wrath and Godly anger is that wrath comes from a selfish nature. We are flawed by sin, therefore, our anger does not come from the same place that Godly anger comes from. When we have an issue of wrath, it is an indication that we feel something has happened that is unfair against us or someone close to us and we feel they deserve to be punished for making us feel the way they have. Wrath comes from a feeling of selfishness and revenge. The anger is hair-triggered and violent in nature. This also comes from a place of pride in the heart. When a person has an issue with wrath, they are not making sound decisions. It is not well thought out anger. Since God looks at the heart, we would be very wise to stop and look at what the root cause of the anger is. Is this coming from us feeling as though someone didn’t react to us the way we thought they should? Or that they reacted to us in a way we felt they should not have? Or we didn’t get something we thought we deserved? Did we stop to think about where the other person was coming from? Maybe the other person was in the wrong themselves but does the bible not clearly state Romans 12:19 – Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord”.
Why is it important to allow the Lord to take revenge rather than us handle it ourselves when we feel we have been wronged? It all comes down to the place in which the wrath or anger is coming from. God knows our hearts inside and out and God knows what we need. His wrath is calculated, just, well thought out and God never does or allows anything without an ultimate purpose behind it. We can be assured that God will handle everything appropriately. If we try to handle conflict when we are enraged, we will not be solving anything except blowing off steam. What we are left with after the dust comes off are ruin and broken relationships.
Why is wrath a sin? God knows what is best for us as I said before. The reason there is a line drawn at sin is to give us boundaries. We as humans need boundaries so that we do not completely destroy ourselves.

Questions to ponder:
• Can you identify a time or times where you have allowed wrath to brew in your heart and acted on it?

• Can you identify a situation/s where wrath cost you a relationship, your freedom, your witness as a Christian?

• Has God dealt with you or revealed an issue of
Rage/wrath in your life? If so, what did you take away from it?

Dear heavenly father, I have an anger issue that I know is wrong. I need you to help me learn how to control it and how to give it over to you once and for all. I do not want to live a life where I miss out on opportunities to point people to you because I have a real issue with how to respond to offenses or injustices. Please work in my heart and help me to see people the way you do. In Jesus’ name Amen!

Barefoot Devotions, The How To Series

How To Overcome Rejection: The Life Killer

Hannah B.

At some point in our lives, we have all experienced a form of rejection.  This could be early in life by a parent, a friend, a breakup, or simply not being allowed to sit at the cool kid’s table.  Rejection has shaped and changed us and in some cases, it has prevented us from becoming who God called us to be!

Here is part of my story: My Story | Rejected To Perfection

Rejection hurts but the way we confront this action is crucial in order to live a happy and healthy life.  If we do not confront rejection then it hides in our heart waiting for the next chance to come out and wreak havoc on your life.

Here is part of my story: Stronghold Discovery: Rejected To Perfection

The longer we spend believing the lies of rejection and allowing them to dictate our decisions,  we waste our life that God has given us to live happy, free, and healthy.  We will live in a reality that is based on lies from the enemy and we survive on coping mechanisms instead of relying on God’s truths.

YOU ARE HOPELESSYOU ARE USELESSYOU CAN'T DO THISYOU ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH YOU WILL FAILYOU ARE NOT A NEW PERSON

Have you ever made a decision based on the fact that you are afraid you will fail? Or people will laugh at you if you mess up? Instead of stepping out of your comfort zone,  you decide that you will make the decision that will make you the most comfortable without fear of being rejected.

Do you overreact or lash out in anger during certain situations? Have you ever found yourself wondering why you act in such a way?

If so this is for you!

Here Are Some Examples Of Rejection:

  • Being dumped by a boyfriend/girlfriend
  • Being left out of a group of friends
  • A parent that was not in your life
  • Divorce
  • Infidelity
  • Death of a loved one

Fruits Produced As A Result Of Being Rejected:

  • Rebellion – Aggressiveness, Stubbornness, Defiance, Abusive Behaviors
  • Pride and Arrogance
  • Feeds fears, anxieties, worries, and negativity.
  • Self Mindset: Rejection – Low or No Self Esteem and Inadequacy or Protection of self: Self-centered, pity and selfishness.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 | We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. 

Steps To Overcoming Your Fear Of Being Rejected:

  • Repent, Pray and Seek God for deliverance and healing.
  • Accept and Act what God reveals to you.
  • BELIEVE and CLAIM God’s truth for your life
  • Learn scriptures and believe what God’s word says. You’ll need these to fight the lies that will keep popping up in your mind!
  • Forgive those who rejected you and move on!
  • LIVE in God’s truth and WALK in God’s truth (this is putting His truths in action when the time comes – we are bound to be rejected again).
  • Get out of your comfort zone and do something daring for God! Ask Him and He will show you the way. 

Colossians 1:14 | For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

You are redeemed and you are free from your bondage. Don’t live in it! Step out of it and into God’s truth and flourish! 

2 Timothy 1:7 | As I battled my fears, I knew I had to stand on God’s truth, and you do too. The fear I felt was not from God, so every time it crept into my thinking, I had to remind myself, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

Xoxo,

Hannah B.

P.S. Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share on your social media feeds to help those who may benefit from this How-To guide.

You might also enjoy this How-To Guide pertaining to strongholds of the mind:

How To Slay Your Mental Strongholds

Be sure to let me know what you discover about yourself or tips you may have, I love hearing from y’all!

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Barefoot Devotions

Hope for The Fatherless

Hannah B.

For as long as I could remember, Father’s Day has been a bittersweet day that was surrounded with sadness. A day that served as reminder that a little girl would not always have the daddy she so desperately wanted to have. I prayed to have but a prayer that went unanswered. My daddy tried the best that he could considering his addictions and other issues I began to realize as an adult. Eventually, the day became surrounded with anger as I grieved the loss of him and my childhood. No chance for redemption. Emotions of anger, jealously of people who still had their dad, depression surrounded me and plagued me for a decade after his death.

I don’t tell you this to be sad for me or feel bad for me because even though we had a lot of bad times, we had a lot of good times too. In the end, the good outweighed the bad and I thank God for His unanswered prayers. Through my journey, Jesus was there in the blackness still surrounding me with a grater plan than I could ever imagine. He provided the answers along the way as I cried out my whys to Him. He gave me the peace that I needed to carry on another day especially on Father’s Day.

Even in my darkest days that turned to years, my vision only allowed me to see blackness in my current state. Hopeless. Discouraged. Depressed. Grieved. Angered. Fatherless. Orphaned. Lost in a dream that wasn’t a reality and didn’t have the chance at ever being a reality.

It was at that moment that God started changing my heart and opening my eyes to the most impactful statement He has ever told me in my Christian life:

I am your Father and everything you ever needed and will need in a daddy. Stop searching.

Although I still had years of emotions to unravel, this marked the moment that my hardened heart began to crumble and heal my “daddy issues”.

The next phase allowed me to truly forgive my dad, it was realizing that my dad did the absolute best that he could be physically, spiritually, and mentally for me. Once I accepted that, I quit blaming him for not trying hard enough. I realized he did try – to the point of exhaustion and to the breaking point of someone with an addiction. As I realized this, I wave of guilt washed over me and they only place I could go to make it right was to the LORD.

It’s freeing when such burdens are lifted but as they are lifted so are the blinders that cover your eyes. You are able to look at the situation with opened eyes and realize the affect of your actions and are able to acknowledge the stubbornness and pride in your heart.

When the blinders are removed, you are able to see further out than what is in front of your face. My next moment was that I was blessed with uncles that were always there and stepped in to fill the role. Even though they weren’t my earthly dad – they were placed in my life for what I would need.

As these truths were unveiled to me and I accepted them into my heart, I became free from a false reality, a false expectation, and a false idea. The idea I had was not what God intended for my life. When we let go of our preconceived ideas and accept that our ideas and plans weren’t part of God’s will, that is when He can work and show us His plan. When we fully accept that He is God, He is good, and He loves us enough to not let us settle for anything less, we surrender it all to Him willingly. I realized that for some reason He needed that little girl to go through heartache, trials, and the ugly feelings to get to where I am now. Whatever His reason is, I am thankful He chose me.

I am exactly where God needs me at this very moment and I have been this entire journey. Perhaps, it’s all about your perspective. You can focus on the negative and the things you can’t change or you can focus on who you were grown into during the experiences.

I am not Fatherless and neither are you. We are loved dearly by a God that doesn’t change, doesn’t leave, and loves us unconditionally.

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Happy Father’s Day God! And Happy Father’s Day to my earthly daddy who taught me a lot about life.

Xoxo,

Hannah B.

P.S. If this post touched you, drop a line below and be sure to share on your social media feeds.

Barefoot Devotions

Life In A Holler Lane

Hannah B.

Recently, life in the carpool line got a little exciting. I haven’t experienced road rage since I left Atlanta about a year ago. Lo and behold, it found me in the holler. Day One: A blue car did not follow protocol and decided to cut in. Okay, fine, I was new here once and didn’t understand the system so maybe that was the case with this blue car. Perhaps, there was a family emergency and they offered to help out in an unfortunate situation. It happens, I decided to proceed with grace. THEN, a lady in an SUV decided to do a rolling stop. You know one where you kinda stop but not really? Guess who COMPLETELY stopped first? Me. This girl. Talk about ANGER boiling up because I was obviously doing the right thing and should have gone first. Grace was found after my flesh had some words she never even heard. Okay, fine. It obviously is what it is and at some point, you have to let it go because there isn’t anything you can do about because the other person has already gone about their day.

On the next day, the little blue car shows up attempting to cut in line. He sure did. I had already extended this guy grace once, but again for the same action? I am thinking to myself, “Who does he think he is?” Just because I work from home doesn’t mean my time isn’t valuable. It’s important and I have things to do than to allow you to cut in and make me late. It took all of my strength to stay in my car and not give the person in the blue car a piece of my mind. I probably would have if God wouldn’t have stepped in. Granted, I was madder than a hornet but I made the choice that it just wasn’t worth it because for whatever reason that I do not understand or see at the time, it happened because God allowed it to.

 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.  Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For,“Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good;they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous nd his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 1 Peter 3:8-12

After some time reading God’s word, I was thinking: Who am I? 

Did I really think that I was superior enough to say something to these people because I felt I could justify the situation? What if their situations were more urgent than mine?

Would I not want to be extended grace over and over? God extends it every time. Who am I not to do the same regardless?

Do I want the face of the Lord against me because I wanted to avenge the petty acts done against me that absolutely did not affect me or my important time?

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

Next time, I will smile, wave, and allow them to pass with joy.

Xoxo,

Hannah B.

 

Barefoot Devotions

Not Forgotten

barinmysoul

It always amazes me how distracted we can get on a daily basis and forget how far we have come in life. We do our day to day things and have our day to day issues.  Could be a stressful day with work and kids and so much to do and so little time to do it.  Or I just got paid and now I have no money.

Recently, I was watching a documentary on the Oklahoma City building bombing that sadly happened back in 1995.  I remembered that I had written in my journal just a few short days afterwards about how I had felt about it.  I ran upstairs and grabbed my journal out of my suitcase full of all my teenage memories.  Which is pretty fitting considering I moved around a lot as a child.  My parents were divorced and I found myself going back and forth between the both of them.

So, I started reading my journal which only consisted of a few months from that year. I must have remembered the old saying “don’t print anything on paper that you wouldn’t want broadcasted on the front page of a newspaper” Lol. As I was reading, I couldn’t stop.  All these memories that I had blocked out.  I was such a depressed and lonely teenage girl.  I wanted to reach into that journal and hug her and tell her everything would turn out okay.  My day to day journaling consisted of boy trouble, abuse, feelings of suicide and loneliness.I had wanted to have a closer relationship with Jesus but I found myself drowning in depression and anger.

I do remember times of shaking my fists and screaming out to God to take me out of this world.  To make all this go away.  To save me.  I had no mentor back then. No woman to show me what a life for a girl is supposed to be like.  I lived with my father and my 2 brothers most of the time.  I longed for someone to see into my soul how tormented I was.  I suppose I didn’t know how to articulate any of that at the time.  I only knew how to yell and fight and defend myself.  I only knew how to express how angry and sad I was.  I got myself into quite a bit of trouble. Drugs, alcohol, premarital sex. I stopped caring about myself.

I don’t actually remember much of the details of that time; even the events I wrote about, but I do remember making my mind up at some point that I was going to look forward to the future and hold onto that last thread of hope that God was real and what I’ve learned my whole life was true and that Jesus loved me and hadn’t forgotten me.

Now, as I look around at my beautiful house and the peace in this house I see how God did deliver me.  I have wonderful children.  I didn’t do too much in my life in the right order but God still blessed me none the less.  God saw through my soul and saw my pain and He delivered me.  He set me on solid ground.  I may have messed up in so many ways but being the Sovereign God He is; picked me up, dusted me off and pushed me forward.  What an amazing mighty God we serve. And the thing is, I may have just been reminded of  some of the pain I went through growing up and some of the awful things that were said to me or done to me but I’m also reminded that I am blessed and I survived. That I was saved and He did hear my cries and I was delivered from all of it.  I don’t have to feel sad about it anymore. I don’t have to be angry.  I can forgive and I am forgiven.

The annoyances that happen in my day to day are nothing compared to what The Lord God brought me out of so many years ago.

Looking back I don’t even recognize that girl in that journal.  I know that God has transformed me.  He has worked on my heart and has mended all my little holes and patched all those rips and tears.  There may be scars but they are no longer wounds.

If you are going through a time in your life where you feel like nobody could possibly understand what you are going through or you feel like you are alone; I am a living testament that you are never alone.  God does hear you and even if you don’t see his work yet, He is working on your behalf.  It is always in the right time.

He knows perfectly and strategically where you are at in your grief or your anger or your sadness.  He knows what you need and when you need it. He knows when you are open and ready to receive it. When you can lay it all down and get on your knees and recognize that He does have your back you are ready to receive it.

If you don’t have a mentor or somebody to reach out to that will listen and pray for you or pray with you, I encourage you to get out your bible and pray.  I encourage you to find a bible based church to go to and do not isolate yourself. Reach out to other people or your pastor and ask them to pray with you.  You are loved and you are never forgotten.

Luke 12:7- “But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows”.

Valerie C.

Barin my Soul