Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper - it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land. Proverbs 37:8-9Sometimes, I just want to be angry. I want to just “go off” on people who I feel have wronged me or someone I love. I want to let people proposing ridiculous ideas or policies know just how wrong I think they are. I want to take people who promote rejecting God and just...well let me just say, make them stop. I could allow myself to fill with rage and anger that boils over and use all of my physical prowess to intimidate, demean, and even destroy. Part of me thinks it would be so good to embrace that raw emotional release and then stand over the vanquished in my self-perceived righteous might! I can see myself on movie posters standing tall and proud like some kind of superhero! Fortunately, I give God control of my heart in those moments. I do my best to seek Him. I’m not perfect, but I have not beat down anybody since the 5th grade…wait there was once at West Point. That’s a story for a different time. The truth is that when we follow Christ and do our best to live His way, we give Him 100% control of all of who we are, our emotions, and our responses. So, when I feel that rage begin to swell up, especially when I know that I am in the right, the Holy Spirit reminds me of who I am in Christ, and how He commands me to love first and foremost even my “enemies.” In those moments, when I surrender my rage and anger to Christ. It draws me closer to Him. It allows me to better understand who He continually calls me to be. I might want to bring the hammer down on something or someone, but I’d much rather grow in Christ. In doing so, my patience and love will have far more impact than winning an argument or fight. Instead, we exemplify Christ’s incredible compassion. That speaks to others far more than anything else. Jesus is ready to grow us in those moments. He’s there, experience Him.
