I am my worst critic. I lie in bed at night annoyed with myself that I didn’t accomplish everything I should have. Or I’m aggravated at myself for not speaking up when I could have. I react with self-loathing as I play back the events of the day… as the “I should have, I could have, I would have’s” run in a loop through my mind. What’s so sad is… most times, I’m beating myself up over things no one else even knows about. They’re things that are only important to me…so why am I so perturbed? In a word…it’s guilt. Self-directed anger is fueled by guilt…and it doesn’t need to be guilt heaped on us from someone else…for we can do that all by ourselves! But this guilt-ridden self-anger can be changed by the last few words of this verse…for it says to “search your hearts and be silent. Selah” That means we listen and not speak, allowing the Holy Spirit to whisper truth into our heart and mind. It means then we pause and ponder these truths not allowing our mind to race negatively. It’s positive reinforcement, Holy Spirit style.
Tag: angry thoughts
Psalm 73: 21-22 ” When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before You.”
The Psalmist realized that anguish and despair changes us…that bitter suffering and grief makes us numb, irrational, and at times irresponsible for word or deed…even when addressing God. The Psalmist freely admitted that he was far from the person he usually was. And we, like the Lord, must remember then that grief effects everyone and that the same grace and mercy He extends, we must also.
Proverbs 14:10 ” Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.”
We are so good at hiding and deflecting those inner emotions. We secretly will judge harshly, dwell on mean, angry thoughts, and think up sharp biting comments that we would never utter out loud. Only our heart knows the pain inside. Only our inner self understands the path we’ve trudged through… and only the Lord really knows us.
Safetypinlove 