Pockets
Have you ever found yourself dragged into a conversation that you really didn't want to be in? Perhaps someone made a personal comment to you, about you or someone you care about, and it just didn't sit right. Then you carried that comment around, along with those hard feelings that came with it, for hours, maybe even days...or weeks! I know that I have and it's a terrible feeling.
Sometimes it happens accidentally. People mean well but they just didn't know that it's a sensitive spot for us. Or, people just speak without considering how their comments and opinions hurt our heart. What do you do? You can stew on it. Let it get you all worked up. You could tell them how it made you feel. Sometimes that is really the most appropriate way to respond. Or you could try something I just learned a few weeks ago. You can say, "I don't have pockets for that!"
Pockets are so good for stashing things so we can be hands free...or so we can carry more stuff. But the more we stuff in our pockets, the more weighed down we are. And truthfully, there are just some things that God does NOT want us carrying around! Romans 12:17 says, "Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." Letting things go is a choice. It might take us a little to work through it; but, I love the visual I get when I say "I don't have pockets for that." I'm not going to carry it around.
What's that thing that kept you up all night? Restless sleep. Anxiety over the next time you have to see that person, work with them, go to church with them? Try this: pray...and empty your pockets. Pockets can be good...but lets choose to fill them with the blessings of God.
Read more devotions written by Denise Harper at Treasured Inside
https://deniseharper.blog
-
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 1Treasured Inside is a collection of notes that reflect the intersection of Denise Harper's life of everyday, ordinary things with our extraordinary God. From junk drawers to sticky notes and passports to thrift stores and everything in between, she finds a way to connect the mundane of the day to the magnificent heart of God.
Denise Harper’s book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 1," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more... -
Treasured Inside Devotion, Vol. 2Treasured Inside: Devotions with Denise, Volume 2, beautifully expresses the love letter God has already written for each of us. Do you sometimes feel distant from the Word? This book gently invites you to pause, connect more deeply with Jesus, and enjoy His comforting presence.
Denise Harper’s NEW book, "Treasured Inside - Devotions With Denise - Volume 2," is available from The Bridge Store and at Amazon, Apple, Target, and more...
