Anger

Have you ever noticed an angry person? Someone who simply seems to want to be angry all the time?

“Don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. Ephesians 4:26-27

Reflection

Anger the emotion that gets the better of us all the time every time. The emotion that doesn’t make us seem like someone another would want to approach. An emotion that comes out but one that we do need to keep under control.

Have you ever noticed an angry person. Someone who simply seems to want to be angry all the time? I certainly did and it was my father.

I’m sure that he wasn’t angry all the time but it certainly seemed that way all the time I saw him when I was very young. It was such an impression on me that I didn’t care for how he was when he was like that. It also was so often I came to believe that he could never be happy.

What I did come to learn is that he let many things upset him. That it got the better of him during that time of his life. It clearly reflected a sufficent experience on me that I am writing about it to you. I’m memorializing an experience of a father to a son that clearly is not raving about him. In fact, I’m using him as a good bad example.

That’s just it. Anger reflects something in us that isn’t pleasant. It isn’t a way that draws people to us. If anything, it repels people. So why would you want to be like that?

Anger comes out in many forms. It isn’t just someone yelling, cursing, smashing things, or hitting people. It comes out in your the way you react to things. It comes out in the way you express yourself. It comes out in the way you look. If uncheck, it soaks in to your roots and can take over your joy.

Now some people who have this issue will do what they can to mask it. Drinking, eating, and getting high are some examples. It’s a way of escaping that feeling. Unfortunatley, those things are temporary. Momentary escapes from whatever it is that triggers that anger.

You’ve seen people like this. You might even have someone in mind if not the person in the mirror. If you could give them the remedy. The antidote. The protocol to move past anger you would do it wouldn’t you?

The last part of that verse is the part that everyone should stop and take notice of. Anger gives the devil a stronghold. Let that sink in for a second. Anger gives the devil a strong hold on you. It’s a tool and a very powerful tool given to the devil. To the enemy of all things good. To the one who will take advantage of you all day and every day if you let him.

Now at times it might actually feel good to be angry at something or someone. That rage seems to embolden us. Seems to motivate and expression that gets our heart pumping and adrenaline going. It can be a very strong motivator to overcome something. But isn’t that the trick. Anger, the emotion, has to transform into a motivation to move past whatever it is that is making you angry. To overcome it.

An example is not succeeding at something. You want to do something or fix something. You try and try and try. But each time you fail. You fail so often it just pisses you off. You get angry. But, when you overcome that thing that is making you angry you get a different feeling right after that. It’s a feeling of accomplishment or simply clarity that what ever it is you can’t overcome it. Interesting, you either can or you can’t. So why does it make you angry? Seems as it doesn’t really matter.

Now, there is a difference between anger and breaking your heart or providing some kind of motivation to take action on something. That’s just it. Anger holds you back. It clouds your judgement. The key, take that anger and refocus it to an informed action or next step. I’m not saying don’t get pissed off. But don’t stay there. Reconcile, take action and decided what to do about that which made you angry. In other words, don’t let anger own you. Own that anger and make it useful.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help us stay focused on you. Help us stay there so that even when we do get angry we offer that to you to help us pivot from it. To not let anger give Satan the right to own us. To take our focus from you. There is much that can trigger that emotion in us. Help us navigate those things and bring us towards you. Help us take action on what makes us angry and turn the tables on Satan by moving us to overcoming those things. To model you Father as we live a life filled with many opportunities to take us away from you. Father keep us centered and connected on you. Please keep our us, our families, and our friends safe. We pray all of this in the name of Jesus, Our Savior and Lord. Amen.