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b'READ: MATTHEW 22:37-40; LUKE 6:43-45\\n\\n\\n\\nWhat comes out when you squeeze a ketchup bottle? Ketchup, of course. And what comes out if you squeeze a mustard bottle? Mustard! Whatever is inside comes out.\\n\\n\\n\\nAnd it\\u2019s the same with us. How we react in a situation says a lot about what\\u2019s going on in our hearts. In Matthew 12:34, Jesus says, \\u201cThe mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.\\u201d What we say\\u2014and how we say it\\u2014shows what\\u2019s inside our hearts. When we\\u2019re coming from a place of resting in God\\u2019s love, what comes out of us will be good and wholesome, like patience and kindness. But when we\\u2019re coming from a place of unhealed wounds and self-reliance, what comes out of us will be harsh and bitter.\\n\\n\\n\\nThe stresses of life have a way of squeezing reactions out of us. What comes out of your mouth if you\\u2019re squeezed by something you don\\u2019t like? What you say shows a little bit of what\\u2019s in your heart. God calls us to use our words carefully to build each other up, not to tear down (Ephesians 4:29). So when we find ourselves saying things that hurt others, it\\u2019s an important indicator that our hearts need some attention.\\n\\n\\n\\nGod has compassion on us, and He is eager to fill our hearts with His love (Romans 5:5). But when our hearts start overflowing, not with love but with unhealed hurt or harsh words, it\\u2019s time to talk to Jesus about it. He can handle any emotion we\\u2019re facing. He empathizes with us, and He always wants to help us. One of the primary ways He does this is by providing people in our lives\\u2014like therapists, friends, teachers, parents, pastors, etc.\\u2014who can help us when we\\u2019re especially stuck, when bitter reactions keep coming out of us when we\\u2019re under pressure.\\n\\n\\n\\nThe journey of healing and growing with Jesus is long and not always straightforward, but we can know that Jesus has promised to be with us every step of the way, gently healing our wounds and helping us grow to become more like Him. We can trust Him and rest in His love, no matter what. \\u2022 A. W. Smith\\n\\n\\n\\n\\u2022 Can you think of a time you were facing a tough situation but you were able to rest in Jesus\\u2019s love through it? What about a time when it wasn\\u2019t so easy to rest in His love?\\n\\n\\n\\n\\u2022 When you\\u2019re feeling stuck in your reactions to tough situations, who are trusted people God has put in your life you could talk with\\u2014such as therapists, friends, teachers, parents, pastors, etc.? If no one comes to mind, you can ask God to help you identify someone in the future.\\n\\n\\n\\n\\u201cThe mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.\\u201d Matthew 12:34b (CSB)'