When you’re angry, frustrated, and tempted to react–take it to Jesus first.
💕 Let’s Keep It Real
Can I keep it completely real with you today?
I am frustrated.
Actually, frustrated might be putting it nicely.
Today was mentally draining. At the same time, I’m in an exciting season in my life. I’ve been busy with media projects and opportunities that have me happy, nervous, excited and wondering where God may be leading me next.
There is so much I’m grateful for.
But at the same time, some of the people closest to me have really gotten on my last nerve.
And maybe somebody reading this knows exactly what I mean.
There are moments when you look at another person’s behavior and genuinely cannot understand their choices. You wonder why they said what they said, why they acted the way they did, or why they can’t seem to understand how their actions affect other people.
And today…
I had some words.
Okay…I still have some words.
But I also knew that with where I was mentally, saying those words probably wasn’t going to accomplish anything good. I wasn’t ready to have a productive conversation. I was angry, emotionally exhausted and already on edge.
So instead of confronting anyone, I went to my prayer closet.
I’m so glad I did!
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
–Ephesians 6:12 (ESV)
🌿 What God Reminded Me
As I sat with the Lord, something became clearer to me:
The people frustrating me are not my enemy.
That’s important.
Because when we’re angry, it becomes incredibly easy to make a person the target.
But Scripture reminds us that our battle is deeper than flesh and blood.
The enemy would love nothing more than to use offense, frustration, hurt, misunderstanding, or somebody else’s behavior to pull our attention away from what God is doing in our lives.
And if we’re not careful, we’ll take the bait.
We’ll say the thing we can’t take back.
We’ll respond in anger.
We’ll allow somebody else’s behavior to determine ours.
We’ll spend hours replaying an argument in our minds while completely losing sight of the peace God has been trying to establish in our hearts.
And tonight, I felt the Lord reminding me:
You don’t have to attend every argument you’re invited to.
Whew.
Sometimes walking away isn’t weakness.
Sometimes silence isn’t surrender.
Sometimes taking the situation to God before taking to the person is evidence that He’s growing you
📖 We’ve Seen This Before
David knew something about having every reason to react.
King Saul repeatedly pursued David and even tried to kill him. Then, in 1 Samuel 24, David found himself in a position where he could have retaliated.
His men essentially told him, This is your opportunity.
David could have justified his actions.
But he refused to take matters into his own hands.
He chose restraint.
That doesn’t mean David never experienced anger, frustration, or hurt. If you’ve spent any time reading Psalms, you know that David poured some very raw emotions out before God.
But that’s part of what I love about his story.
David took his heart to God.
And that’s what I’m learning to do too.
I don’t have to pretend I’m not angry.
I don’t have to pretend that someone’s behavior didn’t hurt or frustrate me.
But I also don’t have to let my emotions decide what happens next.
I can take the unfiltered version to God fi
✝️ Looking to Jesus
And then I look at Jesus.
If anyone had the right to retaliate, it was Him.
He was mocked.
Betrayed.
Falsely accused.
Rejected.
Beaten.
Crucified.
Yet even from the cross, Jesus prayed:
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
–Luke 23:34 (ESV)
That’s humbling for me.
Because following Jesus doesn’t mean people will never make us angry.
It means we don’t have to let anger transform us into someone who doesn’t look like Him.
Jesus shows us another way.
We can have boundaries.
We can address wrong behavior.
We can have difficult conversations when necessary.
We can even step away from relationships or situations that are unhealthy.
But we can do those things without allowing bitterness, rage, or retaliation to rule our hearts.
And sometimes the most Christlike thing I can do when I’m angry is simply say:
“Lord, I’m not ready to respond to this yet. You deal with my heart first.”
That’s where I am tonight.
And maybe that’s where you are too.
🤍 Before You React…
If someone has you ready to lose your peace, don’t give them that much authority over you.
Before you send the text…
Before you make the phone call…
Before you type the paragraph…
Before you say the thing you’ve been rehearsing in your head…
Go somewhere quiet.
Take it to Jesus.
Tell Him the truth.
“Lord, I’m angry.”
“Lord, they hurt me.”
“Lord, I don’t understand them.”
“Lord, I want to say something I probably shouldn’t say.”
He can handle the honest prayer.
Then give Him enough room to work on your heart before you attempt to address theirs.
🙏 Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Tonight I’m coming to You with the unfiltered version of me.
You already know I’m frustrated. You know the conversations I’ve replayed in my mind. You know the things I want to say and the people who have tested my patience.
Thank You for giving me a place where I don’t have to pretend.
Lord, help me remember that people are not my enemy. When conflict arises, give me the wisdom to recognize anything that is attempting to steal my peace, distract me from Your purpose, or pull me away from the character You are developing in me.
Guard my mouth when silence is wiser.
Give me courage when a conversation truly needs to happen.
Help me know the difference.
And before I ask You to change anyone else, search my heart. Remove anything in me that doesn’t look like You.
Jesus, teach me to respond the way You would respond. Help me extend grace without abandoning wisdom, forgive without ignoring necessary boundaries, and love without allowing someone else’s behavior to control mine.
Tonight, I give You my anger.
I give You my frustration.
I give You the people I don’t understand.
And I give You every word I’m tempted to say before I’ve had time to pray.
Protect my peace, Lord.
Protect my heart.
And don’t allow a temporary distraction to pull me away from the things You are preparing me for.
In Jesus’ Mighty name,
Amen 💜
Faith & Fellowship Question
Have you ever realized that your greatest victory in a difficult situation wasn’t winning the argument–it was allowing God to change your response?
Let’s talk about it.
Because some of us are learning in real time that spiritual growth doesn’t always look like knowing more Scripture.
Sometimes it looks like not sending that text!
Looking to Jesus
Tonight, I’m not leaving my prayer closet because every problem has been resolved.
The people who frustrated me haven’t suddenly changed.
The conversations that may need to happen haven’t necessarily happened.
But I don’t have to leave this room carrying the same spirit I walked in with.
That’s what Jesus offers us.
Not always an immediate change in our circumstances–but a change within us.
So tonight I’m choosing to let someone else’s actions distract me from what God is doing in my life.
And if you’re struggling with the same thing tonight…
Come sit with me.
We’re still growing.
We’re still learning.
And thank God, Jesus is still working on us!
Grace & Growth
🌸 Rooted in Grace • Growing in Faith