What's Upset When You're Upset

I encountered a quote this week that has been resounding in my head, and heart, unceasingly since I read it…

"No matter the jarring, a jar of fresh water can’t spill filthy water.  

When you’re upset, you upset what’s really in you."    

This convicted me on so many levels and God has been using it to shed light on a lot of habits in my life that I would rather term struggles, bad moods, attitude problems, lack of sleep

…anything but nasty rotten sin.

It made me realize that who I am when I am the most upset, the most annoyed, the most frustrated…is who I am.  If anger and jealousy and bitterness come out of me, that means that anger and jealousy 

and bitterness are in me. 

And that’s uncomfortable. 

I can be friendly and delightful to people who do not annoy me, or make me feel unloved, or undervalue me.  But anyone can be friendly and delightful in good circumstances.  The Bible is clear about that, it is no great accomplishment to love those who love you. 

But who are you when you are feeling unloved, un-appreciated, misunderstood.  As the philosophers known as DC Talk once said “I am the king of excuses, I’ve got one for every selfish thing I do”.  

I’m not being bitter, I’m just in a bad mood.  

I’m not jealous; I’m just a little annoyed.  

I’m not being impatient; I just have not had my coffee yet.

I’m not sinning, I am just struggling. 

But let’s be honest, what is upset when you are upset, is what you are really full of.  I am full of a lot more impatience, jealousy, bitterness and anger than I like to admit.

Thankfully, I am also full of the Holy Spirit.  And by His grace, God continues to make me aware of my sin so that soon, I might be full of something sweeter.