Red Flags

A couple of weeks ago I realized I was over-reacting to someone. For whatever reason, this person's personality was driving me crazy...even though we've been in relationship for many years now and there were no new events going on that would compel me to be annoyed in a fresh way.

I was talking with a good friend yesterday on the phone (one of my tortured introverts) and he had a good word: an over-reaction to a situation is generally a red flag that there's something deeper in you that needs to be dealt with.

So I spent some good time this morning journaling through this red flag. In the process, I stumbled across some pretty significant baggage I was carrying around from long ago. As I dealt with that, I began to piece together some other odd sounds in my soul that connected with that baggage.

I think that everyone's got baggage. It's just a question of whether or not it matches. As it turns out, my baggage is matching quite nicely--better than I previously realized.

I think that the Lord is good to patiently show us our sin. We couldn't handle it all at once. There's sin in my life right now that God won't reveal to me for another five or ten years.

I think the same thing is true for our baggage. I'm relieved that I don't have to process it all at once. But I'm also glad for good friends who will help encourage me to watch for those red flags...and for the Spirit who is good to pull back the curtain ever-so-slightly in order for me to take on what it is my time to deal with.