Anger and your purpose.
How does this word and emotion resonate with your state of being today? Anger.
Let’s start with - You’re fine, nothing is the matter that you can’t handle. You’re a follower of Jesus Christ. After all, you’ve been doing all the right things. God is on your side. On a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the most intense arousal, you feel a mild simmering of 4 at death, disease and racism. Even politics has no effect on you since you’ve accepted what you can’t change.
But anger is showing up and you don’t know where it’s coming from. Your voice has an edge when you speak to the customer service person on the phone. You feel depressed about your work and you have fallen behind on bills. You withdraw from the people that are closest to you. You feel helpless to change things. Where’s that ulcer or heart issue coming from? You explode consistently at the same person, then it spreads to your co-workers and neighbors. Sarcasm spikes your sense of humor.
Maybe you realize that things aren’t ok with you and God at this point. Is the problem anger or is it the aggressive way you handle it? You are hurtful to others and to yourself.
Confess the harm, and agree with God (1 John 1.9). We all get things wrong as Christians (take a look at Paul’s struggle, Rom 7) because we are still growing and being transformed. As our realization of God’s vast mercy increases, our anger decreases. We want to please Him and ask the Holy Spirit for help. He is there to enable and empower you.
When you love and accept yourself where you are; then you are able to pass it on to your “neighbor.” In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:43-45) Jesus told us to love our enemy. This is immediately following the Lord’s prayer which says “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Ok, so when we are feeling that our boundaries are run over, how do we overcome the anger that comes out of being hurt?
Expressing our feelings to God , writing a letter and burning it, beating your mattress with a tennis racket, screaming in the the car or banging on the piano are non-hurtful ways of dealing with anger. You could speak the truth in love (takes some thought in intention) to the person who hurt you. Perhaps writing it out before saying it will help. Visualize good solutions/reactions to apply all that excess energy. Visualize the person you want to become - that you are in Christ. Search out all the verses with “in Christ,” use the Bible Gateway or Bible.com apps. Each relationship is an opportunity to worship God - to invite Him into the mix every time.
Eternal life is knowing and enjoying God forever. He tells us we cannot hate our brother that we see and love Him who is invisible. Do you hold onto grudges and relive the injustice for decades. Let go of the hurt. Go make peace in whatever way is possible without causing harm to yourself or the other person.
His ways and His thoughts bring love to your life and mind. You are made in His image to spend time with Him and enjoy Him forever - just like it says in Psalms. Walk and talk with God as it was in the garden of Eden. Run to Him, seek His presence. Experience being richly loved.
Start doing some self-care now, call 720-577-5985 for a free 15 minute consultation.
