Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012

 

“For the discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.”

(Proverbs 19:11)

 

 

Yesterday was a day wrought with offenses. Whether I offended someone, someone thought they offended me or someone actually offended me, it was a day that brought to light my struggles with how to handle the fire that anger produces.  Toward the end of the day, it became increasingly obvious that there have been some preventive maintenance measures I have sorely overlooked on the issue of anger and how to deal with its aftermath. 

 

First of all, anger is defined as a feeling of great annoyance or antagonism as the result of some real or supposed grievance; rage or wrath.  When I think about something that rages, a fire comes to mind.  Fire never puts itself out, but can totally destroy everything it touches. Anything that it spreads to is eventually ruined. It doesn’t go anywhere unless it is dealt with properly. The problem comes when we try unskillfully to put it out instead of reliance on an authority. In this instance, the skills we lack are temperance, patience and forgiveness. The authority, which we have overlooked, is The Lord, who according to Romans 12:9 says that we should not avenge ourselves but wait on Him. He says that vengeance is His to repay. So, dealing with things with our gasoline mindset spreads the fire of anger. It reveals the ignition caused by selfish pride (sin) which gives the enemy something to bind you with. Ephesians 4:26-27 tells us not to be angry or sin; don’t let the sun go down on our wrath and do not give way to the evil one. That’s what he loves and desire: for us to act a “donkey” and feed the wrath of the fire with wrong hearted actions until we succumb and become eventually ruined.

 

I have to thank God for His mercy and saving grace. “Yesterday” I made mistakes in a day wrought with offenses, many of which I caused. But “today” is a new day.  It is a new day where I can learn to follow our Father in Heaven and be slow to anger or take offense and become better at extinguishing the flames so that I can obtain the righteousness of the Lord. When you feel like you are the point of ignition, try to remember that you can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13) and that includes putting out the fires of anger, too. ~LPG