Boiling Point

<p>Have you ever reached boiling point? You’ve been trying so hard to do the right thing, and in a weak moment, you sin. Your temper bubbles over, scalding hot. Your good intentions vanish, and you lose it, only later to be overwhelmed with guilt and failure. All is not lost.</p><p>.</p><p>I’ve had those days when I’ve blurted out angry words. I’ve allowed harmful thoughts to fester rather than asking God to deal with them. Unforgiveness has strangled my heart when I’ve allowed others’ hurtful behavior or comments to control me. Other times, my head has been so preoccupied with worry that I’ve briefly abandoned God in my self-absorption. If, like me, you have a tendency to overthink things, these are some of the strategies I use to help me:</p><p>.</p><p>1. Remember no one is perfect. In Romans 3:23-24, Paul reminds us that we all fall short of God’s glory, but He doesn’t give up on us. This is a hopeful message. I have to remember I am an imperfect and flawed human in a dysfunctional and broken world, just like everyone else. As a result, I will inevitably mess up and even repeat the same failures several times.</p><p>.</p><p>2. Don’t dwell on past failures. While it’s wise to learn from what I’ve done wrong, dwelling on all my past failings isn’t what God wants for me. Instead, He gives me complete forgiveness through Jesus, and He promises to walk with me on my journey. Because Jesus died and rose again for me, I can believe in Him and receive His forgiveness.</p><p>.</p><p>3. Most of all, I need to focus on Jesus. And not only after I’ve sinned, but also when I am tempted (Hebrews 12:1-3). The good news is that Jesus—who lived among us as a human but is also fully God—knows firsthand what it’s like to be tempted, and He understands my weaknesses (Hebrews 4:14-16). Jesus never sinned, but He took my sin and promised me that belief in Him is lifechanging. His Holy Spirit lives inside Christians, transforming us to be more and more like Jesus. Even though I will sin at times, He is always there for me when I stu