Avoiding Footholds
Author:
January 09, 2019
“Do not let the sun go down
while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” – Ephesians
4:26-27, NIV
Shane and Patty had a rule in
their house that no one went to bed angry. They encouraged their children to
work out their differences and speak love to each other every evening before
bed.
It was a habit that started in
the early days of Shane and Patty’s marriage. After the newlyweds had a big
fight one evening, they woke the next morning still angry at the other. Neither
one of them would say, “I love you” on their way out the door.
When Patty went to work, she
was in a major car accident. All she could think about as she waited for
paramedics to come for her was the fight with her husband.
Shane met his wife at the
emergency room and they both pledged from that moment forward, they would never
go to bed angry without working their differences.
Think about sticking your foot
by a door to prevent it from closing. You create a foothold, so you can enter
the room. The same principle applies here—when Christians don’t practice
forgiveness freely, they leave themselves open to sin. Then Satan can easily
get a “foothold” in the door of their hearts.
God, help me to let go of my anger with my loved one. I
don’t want this to become a foothold for Satan. When I’ve been wounded, show me
how to forgive and extend mercy. When I’m at fault, show me how to humble
myself and beg forgiveness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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