Have you ever lost it with your words? We all have. We’ve all had those moments when we wish we could take back what we said, and it usually happens with the people we love the most. I’m not absolutely sure why this is, but I suspect that it has something to do with the comfort we experience with those closest to us.

Something happened the other day that caused me great anguish and illustrates the point I want to make. We had just returned from a wonderful vacation and it was Friday. Now every Friday I do the yard work, wash a vehicle, and then run. Usually by the time I am finishing up washing the vehicle I am pretty exhausted. I was just about to dry the Expedition when Abby and Barb came out to go to the orthodontist. This is where it gets dicey…Abby was maneuvering her car out of the driveway and I was in the way. After about her 6^th attempt to back around me I blew up and finally moved the car I was washing, but I let both my daughter and wife know it was an inconvenience to me because it was an interruption to my work. I was telling myself as they backed out of the driveway: “Hey, it’s my driveway.” “I’ve been out in the hot sun all day working.” “Why couldn’t the appointment been five minutes later?” “I do all this for them.” They could tell I was angry by my words and actions. They left and I fumed. Immediately after they were gone I began to debate with myself. I justified my angry words and actions, but then I felt foolish and embarrassed. At the end of the self-debate I emerged victorious (I always win the debates I have with myself)!

After the cleaning of the vehicle ritual was done I got myself ready to run. As I walked outside Barb and Abby came home. All three of us were making apologies, but I was the one who needed forgiveness. I asked them to forgive me for my anger and selfishness. I was living in the flesh and my selfishness dictated my response to them. I hate to live with unresolved conflict.

This is what Paul was getting at when he wrote that we are to “speak kind words to one another” (Ephesians 4:29, 32). If that fails he said, “Don’t let the sun go down on your anger” (Ephesians 4:26). I think Keith got it right when he said that if we don’t take care of the sin by the end of the day then it will be the first thing we think of in the morning. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to wake up every morning with anger on my mind. I want to wake up with a fresh view of God’s grace!

Grace & Peace, Scott