You’ll Find the Fountain of Youth Here!
It may seem as if we are never going to get away from Ephesians 4; however, I want to tell you this chapter has within it the keys to the fountain of youth! Recent decades have proven the triune existence and connectivity of man: body, soul and spirit. In order to be healthy, each part of our make-up needs to be functioning properly. While we can eat all the best organic foods and exercise daily; if we allow anger, rage and bitterness to consume us, there will be a consequential effect on our health.
In the verses we will look at today in Ephesians 4, it gets to the root cause of many illnesses:
25 Therefore, rejecting all falsehood [whether lying, defrauding, telling half-truths, spreading rumors, any such as these], speak truth each one with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one another [and we are all parts of the body of Christ]. 26 Be angry[at sin—at immorality, at injustice, at ungodly behavior], yet do not sin 27 And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harboring resentment, or cultivating bitterness]. Ephesians 4:25-27(AMP)
The enemy of our souls never gives up on trying to trick us into being at odds with God. If he can’t get us to outright commit a sin, he will cause us to be consumed with the sins of others. While we should never be comfortable with seeing "sin" parade around us and never talking to God about it. We must bring our petitions to God and leave them there. We do not posses the power within ourselves to change even ourselves, let alone another person. Being angry at them for their behavior and allowing it to consume you, causes a festering sore in your soul. When someone wrongs you and neither feels the need to compensate or even apologize, resenting them or holding a grudge against them causes a deep bitterness in you that robs you of the peace, joy and contentment that is your portion. While this scripture admonishes us to speak the truth to our neighbor, it does not afford us the right to hold that neighbor in hostage either in our thoughts, word, or deed.
Now I would be deceptive if I said that this was an easy thing to do. It is not. In fact, for some of who are skewed toward some kind of "social justice", it can be the hardest thing in the world. Yet, isn’t that what God specializes in, He specializes in things thought impossible! Jesus willingly bears the pain we suffer, He knows how to heal it. Let’s cast our cares upon Him, receiving instead the freedom of a child, taking hold to the keys to the fountain of youth.
Maria