"Let Go" of the "Need to Win" & Receive VICTORY!

There I was standing in the lobby of the bank arguing with the bank teller. We were in a stand off to see who was going to win. She had made a decision that my deposit was not going to be credited on time to clear checks that I had written and mailed that morning and there was nothing she could do to help me. Fear rose up in me and I was completely reacting to someone with more power than me; I was allowing my emotions to rule me.

Her boss quickly came over and stood in the middle of us to see if she could reduce my anger and resentment so the other customers would quit watching the event. She came up with a way to help me with what I needed.

As I left the bank the Lord convicted me of my behavior.  It wasn’t important who was right; it was important how I acted or in that case "re"-acted.  So often we respond in a negative, unloving way and cause damage to ourselves and others thru sickness, toxic feelings, or just simply allowing our joy to escape us. More often that not, it’s not about what the argument was over. It is about something else, just a bad day or sometimes even deeper.
                      Either way God wants us to operate in his love and walk in his joy.

He sent Jesus to set us free form whatever is holding us captive.  We often allow our emotions to rule us and we get stuck there.
In Matthew 9, Jesus heals a paralyzed man. In verse 2, He says, “Get up, your “sins” are forgiven. He doesn’t say you are healed. This is such a clear indication of how our sin or offense can make us sick. The sin of un-forgiveness is so closely related to sickness. When we choose to LET GO OF WINNING and forgive. We are healed (emotionally & physically).

The important questions to ask are:
                      *What triggered that reaction?
                      *Is this a greater reaction than the circumstance warrants? 

Sometimes, we can just be tired or fearful; or, it can be a deeper wound that needs to be healed?
If we are just tired then we want to investigate:
                How can I do this differently next time?                OWN YOUR EMOTIONS SO THEY DON'T OWN YOU

But we need to understand what caused us to act that way in the first place.
That is how we get to the root of deeper issues and do the healing work to be set free!!!

I went back to the bank, ok it wasn’t the very next day…it was a week later, feeling a little humiliated…. I took a small gift and went into the bank and walked over to the teller and asked her to forgive me for acting so rude and ugly to her. She immediately said its ok and started taking some responsibility. I said, “I came to say I am sorry and ask you to forgive me for my actions”.   As I walked out I felt so free and so in order.

The act of confession and taking responsibility is step one for being set free. 
                     OWN YOUR EMOTIONS SO THEY DON'T OWN YOU

Prayer:
Father, reveal to me where I am holding on to an offense; where I am angry, resentful and bitter.
Help me to take responsibility for my part and forgive, so that I can be healed and whole and walk in all you have for me!

Amen.