Thankful Thursday

I am so thankful for the Word of God this week. I have really been relying on it heavily as I deal with emotions that stir inside myself. I know that the devil will use all sorts of avenues to create problems in our lives. I really dislike the feeling we get when we feel wronged, hurt, anger, betrayal. That feeling where your heart literally aches, your stomach is upset and you just want to sulk a little. Sometimes I find it is so hard to get a long in this world. We all have our own way of doing things and sometimes it really does not mesh with others. I feel several doors closing in my life lately. I am not quite certain why that is. I felt the need to close them for self preservation. I do not like conflict. I do not like confrontation. I will do anything in my power to avoid it. I will simply try to explain myself and if that is not understood my defense is to walk away. Right or wrong that is how I manage things. I have friends who get frustrated because to them it is not standing up for myself. For me it is trying to be Christ Like. I read for several hours this morning in the early hours of the new day. I tried to allow the Lord to speak to my heart and soul. I allowed his words to sooth over those feelings inside my chest. I went to him in guidance and prayer. I have always leaned to a verse that came across my path tonight In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. Ephesians 4:26. I think its such a bad idea to go to bed angry. I know when I do, even though I have tried to work through it I have a very sleepless night. I toss and turn and finally fall to sleep, only to awake a short while later with those same human symptoms of anger and frustration. A verse that was new to me today, not that I have never read it, just that I had never applied it was: Ephesians 4:31 "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice." I looked onto verse of courage and verses of comfort also. I am just amazed at how the Lord works in our lives. How He knew we would need His word to heal wounds of the heart and mind. How He knew that we would need prayer with Him to move forward. I am so thankful I have Him in my life to lean on. I am thankful for His forgiveness and His strength.