A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45 (NKJV)
A lot of people think that their thoughts and feelings are private, but it’s not true. You can often sense what someone else is thinking.
Luke 6:45 echoes this sentiment. It says that your words reflect what you have in your heart. Even if you do manage to control everything you say, your thoughts still have a way of radiating off of you. Maybe it’s your facial expression or your posture, but people can somehow sense when something is off.
Not only do they sense it, but they respond accordingly, and will likely avoid you. This avoidance may seem to justify your offence further, but it’s probably because you’re sending out signals that say, “Back off.”
The good news is you can reshape your thinking, and by learning this skill, better your relationships.
If you’re holding resentment against someone, ask God to help you forgive that person. You may not feel like forgiving them at all. In fact, you may be wishing they’d wake up in a bed full of snakes, but it doesn’t matter how you feel. Just start by taking one step toward freedom.
Then, every time the anger and hurt begin to rise, refuse to focus on it. Instead, try taking Jesus’ advice and pray for them (Matthew 5:44). It may seem like the last thing you want to do, but over time it works!
Taking control over your thoughts is so empowering, and it has the potential to better every area of your life. You can do this!