21 GO TO SLEEP RECONCILED

How often have you lost a night’s rest because you went to bed angry? Anger isn’t worth holding on to even for one night. Sleep doesn’t mitigate your angry feelings. In fact, you may wake up angrier than you were before you went to bed.

Resolve your anger quickly. Unresolved anger can become the greatest threat to your marital harmony and peace. You are one flesh. Anger hurts you and your spouse. One of you may win an angry argument, but in winning out of anger, you both lose!

Repent quickly of any offense that you feel. Carrying unforgiving anger and offenses will bring division into your marriage and hinder God’s Spirit from bringing healing to your hurts. Jesus commands us to forgive others. Repentance and forgiveness are not options; they are mandates.

Correct what you are saying or doing that brings strife, anger and conflict into your relationship. Ask your mate and the Lord, “What can I do or say to change so that God’s love flows freely through me?”

Try this: When you are angry, set a time when both of you can honestly speak the truth in love.

Share your anger with “I” messages instead of “You” messages. Say, “I feel angry when_______.”

Don’t say, “You make me angry when_______.” Take responsibility for your own feelings.

Don’t blame the other person for how you feel.

If you are angry, don’t sin by nursing your grudge.
Don’t let the sun go down with you still angry-get over it quickly; for when you are angry, you give a mighty foothold to the devil.

Eph. 4:26–27 TLB