But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
– Colossians 3:8-10
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Put off the old ways, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy talk, because they belong to who you were, not who you are in Christ. Put on the new self, renewed in knowledge and shaped by the image of the Creator. Practically, this means choosing truth, kindness, and humility in our words and actions each day, asking the Spirit to change our hearts so our speech and deeds reflect Jesus.
This week, jot down your thoughts on paper if you’re feeling angry or have negative ideas. Once you’re done, take a break and grab a drink, coffee, tea, or juice. After about 20 minutes, return and read what you wrote. Ask yourself if it truly reflects your anger or thoughts. Consider how you can remove any lies or anger from it. Sometimes exaggeration takes over the mind, and reading it back can help you see more clearly or even change your course of action.
