Thieves.

A blog I regularly read is written by a God-follower in Canada. Her post today got me to thinking. Here is a brief glimpse...

If love and kindness always feel better than anger wrenched around my heart, why do I ever choose frustration? Why do I allow creeping annoyance sabotage my own happiness? Is anything worth the sacrifice of joy?

I firmly believe that in a world where I don't get to control anything but my response, that I'm beating the system when I do just that... I have done so much better in the past 5 or so years at making the choice to respond with the opposite when people or situations ignite the part of my heart that gets so irritated or hurt or jealous. . . . . . But lately I haven't been doing so well at it. I've let jealousy creep back in. I've been irritated at stupid situations. I've been hurt by perceived slights. (Ew. I don't like seeing the truth written out in front of me.) So, today, I'm deciding again to not let anything steal my joy. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy and when I let anything rob me of those things, I'm allowing a thief access. Would I knowingly allow a thief access to my home? Of course not. That's just it... I know the names of the thieves that come. I recognize them when they arrive. I've got to make the right decisions in my response so that it is clear that there's no place for them here.