Strife-filled Weekend

It's Wednesday, and I'm still trying to settle down from an exhausting weekend.  We road-tripped it up to Pennsylvania to spend the President's Day holiday with family, because what's a holiday without a little family drama.  We enjoyed going house to house reuniting with relatives and watching our son play with his cousins.  However, little did we expect to be walking into a lion's den engulfed with hostility and contempt when entering one of the houses.  Although I know the anger wasn't directed at me (or so I think), the resentment was in the air and made for a very unwelcomed visit.  Needless to say, strife and confusion can really mess with your mind, so I'm turning to my bible to help me shake off this nonsense.  "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." - Matthew 6:33

A scripture that I found to help me overcome this past weekend:

"Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." - 1 Peter 5:8-9

Walking into the lion's den sure wasn't fun.  Unfortunately, I let it steal my joy and peace over the weekend, but no longer.  I need to stay alert and less vulnerable to attacks by keeping my eyes on Christ so the enemy will flee (James 4:7).  I pray that this trial is over, my lesson learned, and my spirit renewed. I also pray for people in the family who struggle with strongholds.  May they be free to love others and enjoy their life.