I honestly don’t watch a lot of TV, but I picked up an interesting tidbit on a documentary this morning. The word PORCUPINE literally means “one who rises up in anger.” How about that! Did you know that your temper, uncontrolled, is like sharp barbs which injure everyone who comes close to you? It doesn’t matter whether it’s emotional or physical…over time those to whom you should be the most loving accumulate a lot of scars from the quills of your meanness! STOP IT! If we couldn’t stop our bad behavior, the Word would not command us to. Colossians 3:8 says “But now you MUST (emphasis mine) also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” Those behaviors typically run all in one pack, don’t they? Uncontrolled anger causes us to hate, to talk bad about, and to curse others. You are not without hope, though!
Father, You never ask us to do what seems impossible without coming alongside us to help; so we release our “right” to be spiny, mean-hearted, cruel, and negatively aggressive toward others. Forgive us of owning (at times even proudly) family curses of temper, anger, and abuse; and for trying to justify our bad behavior. There is no excuse that holds up to Your judgment…and if we judge ourselves now and make right choices, we won’t have to sit in shame as You judge us for our words and actions. Cleanse our hearts and make us tender instead of cynical and hard. As we endeavor to prove ourselves to those we have hurt in the past, help us to re-establish trust with them. Mend the bridges we’ve burned when being unrestrained and difficult to live with. Help them to forgive us, and help us to forgive them if we’re holding onto past offenses that trigger our anger. We want to please You and to represent You well in a lost world. We can do all things through Christ…including BEHAVE like Christ! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
CALL THOSE THINGS 