Women of Warren Vlog – I Just Need to Vent

Good morning and happy Monday. I don't know if you can relate to this at all, but I have a strong history as a venter, just needing to verbally get things off my chest, specifically situations or really people when I'm frustrated, needing to vent and express my frustration about person A often to person B. And years ago, the Lord just stirred in my heart to convict me over the way that I was going about this not so much that I needed to verbally express things and that that is how I process things but conviction over the way in which I was going about it specifically who I was choosing to vent to and second the way in which I was speaking about the person that I was frustrated with. So just know that if the Holy Spirit uses any part of this devotional to step on your toes, please know that your sister over here has deeply bruised toes and is going to be limping her way through the week. And we can simply limp on together. But the verse that the Lord used really just to begin to chip away at this in my heart comes from Ephesians chapter 4. And in Ephesians chapter 4, Paul is exhorting the church in Ephesus to live in a way that accurately reflects their new identity as a new creation in Christ. to live in a way that truly imitates the God to whom they belong. Ephesians 4 verse 29, I'm going to read first out of the NIV version. It says, Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. I especially love the wording of this verse in the ESV, so I'm going to read the ESV. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. That phrase, give grace to all who hear. This is what the Lord really used to convict my heart about the way I was going about venting and getting things off my chest. That I truly was letting myself off the hook because I thought, well, I'm not saying these things to the person's face. I would never do that. I would not want to hurt their feelings. So I'm just going to say these things about person A that I'm frustrated about to person B. And he also convicted me over who I was choosing to vent to. I was picking the person who would validate my feelings and my frustration. and I was picking the person who would join me in my venting where we could almost escalate together verbally over whatever the situation or person was that was causing me frustration. And not to say that we can't express what's frustrating us. I mean, again, we've said this so many times, but in this world, we will have troubles and we can certainly express the reality of situations that we're in or circumstances or conversations that are frustrating. But the way that we do it, does it show grace to all who hear? Does the way I talk about person A to person B show grace as person B is listening to my words? So who are we venting to? And what are we saying? Is it grace-filled? One thing that the Lord really challenged me on was, Jenna, I, I am your safe place to vent. I am who you can come to. You can lay everything out to me. You can get it all off your chest with me. And then I am the only one who has the power to change and tweak your heart so that it's consistent with the truth of my word and so that it's consistent with the way that I have called you to live. I don't know how the Lord might be stirring in your heart and what thoughts the Holy Spirit might be bringing, but just know that this has been a big thing the Lord has worked on me with. And we will hobble down the hall on the way to church together with bruised toes, taking one step closer to being the women of God who we have been called to be and reflecting the abundant grace of our sweet Savior in the way that we speak. I hope you have a great week. See you soon. you

Originally published at warren.church.