Anger...

Before it’s too late think about what we do. Our emotions can bring us closer to someone, and just as quickly separate us from that same person. Anger in itself is not a sin. God is angry with the wicked, God was angry at Solomon, God was angry at Israel, Jesus was angry with the Pharisees. If you remember Jesus even flipped tables and yelled at those who were desecrating the house of the Father. It is what we do with this strong emotion of anger that determines who we are and what we do. James told us that we should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger; our anger separates us from the life that God desires for us. So let’s think of it this way, what does anger really get us? Headaches, lack of sleep, loss of friendship. It brings your inner self out and that isn’t always a good thing. Proverbs 17:9 (NIV) says “He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.” Anger and jealousy helped cause the first murder ever. Many times what our actions and what comes out of our mouths when we are angry are impossible to take back. If a friend makes us angry, then we should be grateful that we have a friend close enough to do just that. So what can we do? When angered walk away, take a breath, and let it go. But the most important thing that we can do is to ask for that person’s forgiveness and our own forgiveness in prayer to God. Remember the golden rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. When we mess up, cross God, make friends mad; we want to be forgiven right? So let’s live that example. Remember that God does get angry, but He also forgives. The fact that we are still on this planet is proof of that. How much better would the world be if we were to treat each other in this manner? How much better would our lives be if we were to make this one of our ways to live? So before it’s too late think about what we do.