Busting Out

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:7 & 8

I could not believe my eyes when I saw it. It looked like a huge tree had grown up inside an old house and the branches had pushed out through all of the windows.

What I really saw was a house turned into a piece of artwork. After further investigation, I discovered that the artists intended for there to be flames coming out of the windows not branches. They welcomed comments of people who saw it and had a mailbox for them.

I wondered about what comment I might leave as we continued on our trip. The house appeared pretty normal except for the flames leaping from the windows. It reminded me of some people (and myself) who appear to be great on the outside, but have something stewing on the inside. It could be an old grudge, bitterness, unforgiveness, or unconfessed sin.

Eventually, that old stuff starts popping out of every seam and crevice. It comes in the form of anger, uncontrolled emotions, a bad attitude, or just good old fashioned meanness. We can fool ourselves into believing that no one notices our anxiety, but eventually, as hard as we try, it flames out of control.

Instead of letting things build and fueling the fire, we have an outlet for our internal flames. We have a way to feel peace without the pity party. All we have to do is give it up to God. He cares for us. He loves us. He wants us to be at peace. He does not want anything to consume or devour us other than our love for Him.

Worship Him, praise Him. Glorify His name. Our uneasiness will drift away and His joy will be “busting out” of us instead of negativity.

Susan P.