9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:9
Did you ever listen to a sermon and one line from it just hangs around in your head for the next few days? That happened to me yesterday. The line was: "Our anger makes Satan happy."
Anger really takes our focus off of others and makes us focus on ourselves.... on how "I" feel... how "I" have been wronged... on how "MY" rights have been trampled on. Oh... and if we can get several others to agree with our anger, how much better we feel.
Anger makes us forget about compassion. Who has compassion for someone they are angry with? We forget about love and charity. We forget about kindness. We forget about patience. Oh... wait... when we are angry we forget about love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. When we are angry the fruit of the Holy Spirit is absent. There must be an absence of the Holy Spirit in our anger. No wonder anger makes Satan happy!
However... anger is a God-given emotion. It has its place in our lives. It motivates us to work for social justice. It helps us to protect ourselves and our families for those who would do us harm. But we need to be careful with anger. Our anger should always be thoughtful. Is our anger justified? How will this anger lead us to act? In a godly way or in a rash, human way? Would love and tolerance be more helpful in this situation?
After we have thought out our anger and worked through it in the appropriate ways, it is then time to begin the path towards forgiveness. Anger should always be followed up by forgiveness no matter how long it takes. Used properly, anger will never make Satan happy again.
Father,
Help us to think of anger as a tool rather than a state of being. Once used properly, help us to forgive those who have caused us anger. Amen.
Joys: Hiking with Cecelia... what a little mountain goat!; Looking forward to a visit from Florida family in a couple of weeks; Sunday afternoon naps
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