A warning sign alerts us that there is danger ahead that we cannot see. Based on the type of warning sign, we either proceed with caution or turn around.

Negative emotions may be a warning sign that we have a heart issue that needs to be resolved with the Lord. Unresolved heart issues will lead to hindrances in our walk with the Lord.

Sometime back, I came across a Facebook post with a news media link that two juveniles were arrested in connection to wildfires. I clicked to read more. When I did, comments were already being made about how the juveniles needed to be charged and convicted as adults. I felt anxious reading those comments.

Immediately, I felt angry and defensive. I wanted to do something. Therefore, I posted a comment on that thread asking them to refrain from making premature judgments about the boys who were accused until more was known about the actual case.

As the mother of a convict, it brought back a flood of memories of how the news media posted slanted reports of when my son’s case went to trial and people made vitriolic comments based on what they read in the media.

What happened after I posted my comment? Not what I had hoped…that these people would see that they should refrain from saying such things. Nope! The people attacked me with their words. After several unkind comments, I deleted my comment.

After being attacked by the words of others who were defending the victims in the situation, the intensity of my negative emotions increased significantly. But God.

The Lord used my negative emotions as a warning sign to show me that I still held unforgiveness in my heart toward the people who made caustic comments against my son on the news and social media sites.

The Lord gave me a clear warning sign. I had choice to make. I could choose to ignore this warning sign and go on and fall into the snare of the enemy by harboring my hurts and holding onto unforgiveness. OR I could choose to surrender my hurt to Him and forgive.

After I acknowledged my hurt to the Lord, He showed me how Jesus was ridiculed by the public when He was arrested, taken to trial, and even when He hung on the cross with His life seeping out of Him. That’s when He spoke, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Jesus released His hurts and forgave those who ridiculed Him!

Following Jesus’ example, I released my hurts to the Lord and forgave the people who made vitriolic comments. Now when I see those types of comments on the news and social media sites, I see them from a different perspective. One that knows that they do not understand what they are saying or doing. And I ask the Lord to forgive them.

Have I forgotten? Of course not. The memory is embedded in my mind. But when that memory is recalled, I no longer feel the negative emotions.

Negative emotions may be a warning sign that we have unresolved heart issues. Forgiveness is the first step to healing the heart.

Do you have a memory that stirs up negative emotions?

Let’s pray: Father God, I come humbly before you today. I acknowledge I have emotional road signs of negative emotions in my heart. I feel angry, hurt, betrayed, anxious, bitter, resentful and hateful when I think about _________. Lord, like Jesus forgave those who persecuted Him, I choose to forgive [person’s name] for [name the act committed that caused the hurt]. Lord, I ask You to heal the hurt in my heart. I desire to receive Your healing and be released from the negative emotions. In Jesus name, Amen.