This week we reflect on how anger and anxiety seem to be everywhere right now and how easy it is for us to absorb that spirit without even realizing it. Instead of letting circumstances, past wounds, or constant outside voices shape us, we’re reminded that following Jesus means allowing the Holy Spirit to form a different kind of life in us—one marked by love, joy, peace, patience, and self-control. Joy, in particular, isn’t dependent on things going well; it grows as we stay rooted in Christ, let go of what’s behind us, and choose carefully what influences our hearts and minds. When we do that, our lives become a contrast to the surrounding anger, and people begin to notice something different about us.
