Inside Out

And then he added, “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.” – Mark 7:20–23

Your thoughts and struggles—your inner life—will eventually show on the outside, in your attitude, behavior, and relationships. Does that surprise you? Scare you? Or do you think you can hide your struggles forever?

As with cancer that has to be removed before it infects the whole body, the things you hide in your heart will eventually take over. Your reactive anger might be caused by deep wounds in your heart that are not healed. Whatever pain, anger, or shame you don’t deal with begins to alter the person you were created to be.

What comes to mind as you consider the condition of your heart? The things you carry inside can weigh you down, make life a burden, and begin to show on the outside in angry reactions, habits, and addictions. Jesus brings hope for a clean heart—healing from the inside out. Surrendering to God allows you to experience deep healing in the places inside that are causing shame, pain, and defensiveness. In Jesus you can experience the freedom of a transformed life!

Anger is a fuel. You need fuel to launch a rocket. But if all you have is fuel without any complex internal mechanism directing it, you don’t have a rocket. You have a bomb. – Gil Schwartz

If anger isn’t released, it “turns inward” and metamorphoses into another creature altogether. – Carol Tavris

Anger is poison. You must purge it from your mind or else it will corrupt your better nature. – Christopher Paolini

For Further Reflection
Ezekiel 36:25–27; Psalm 51:10; Proverbs 4:23

TODAY’S PRAYER
Lord Jesus, I offer you my heart and my inner life. Cleanse me of all that corrupts my life. Heal me of the wounds that are infected. I pray for your redeeming power to work in my life for your glory. Amen.