Feelings Of Anger

[rizen1]

Neil Anderson

April 7


FEELINGS OF ANGER

References:--Ephesians 4:31
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander by put away from you, along with all malice


Feelings of anger should prompt us to reexamine what we believe and the mental goals we have formulated to accomplish those beliefs. My daughter Heidi helped me with this process one Sunday morning while I was trying to hustle my family out the door for church. I had been waiting in the car for several minutes before I stomped back into the house and shouted angrily, "We should have left for church 15 minutes ago!"

All was silent for a moment, then Heidi's soft voice floated around the corner from her bedroom: "What's the matter, Dad? Did somebody block your goal?" She was blocking my goal to get to church on time, but she wasn't blocking my goal to be the husband and father God wants me to be. The only one who can block that goal is me.

A wife and mother may say, "My goal in life is to have a loving, harmonious, happy family." Who can block that goal? Every person in her family can block her goal--not only can , the will ! A homemaker clinging to the belief that her self-worth is dependent on her family will crash and burn every time her husband or children fail to live up to her image of family harmony. She will probably be a very angry woman, which could drive family members even farther away from her and each other. Her major goal in life should be to become the wife and mother God called her to be.

A pastor may say, "My goal in ministry is to reach this community for Christ." Good goal? It is a wonderful desire, but if his self-worth is dependent on that desire being fulfilled, he will experience tremendous emotional turmoil. Every person in the community can block his goal. Pastors who continue to believe that their success is dependent on others will end up fighting with their boards, praying their opposition out of the church or quitting.

Make it your goal to be what God has called you to be. No one can keep you from reaching that goal but you.

Prayer:

Father, help me see Your long-range view of life so I can learn not to blow up at minor, short-term irritations.

 

[Ann]

This is a very good post, I defenitely learned a lot from it.

Thanks.:girl_hug:

 

[gran4jc]

Thank you so much for this thread. I have recently been studying the epistles intensely. Reading over and over these words of Paul about how we should conduct ourselves. What is causing me so much discouragement is that I see that this is such a vital part of intimately knowing God. Yet, I keep stumbling. Yes, I have a repentant heart. I am always very quick to repent. But........is this what God truly wants?


Or is it that I have a bad attitude that I need to change?

Maybe it could be that I am just responding to feelings instead of keeping focused on the Kingdom.

Sorry, if I got off topic. This really touched me and I just wanted to share and maybe get some advice from some of you who have experienced this.
Thank You All and God Bless You!!

 

[Ncdataman]

Very thought provoking post Rizen, but a very true one. We must be willing to submit to God's will for our lives, any other path leads to misery and destruction. Thanks for sharing! God Bless!

In Christ,

NC

 

[earthen vessel]

This is really..good..and defintly..good for self examination...better yet...to allow the holy spirit to search the heart..Scripture is clear..to put away wrath..and malice and such..AND WE SHOULD SUBMIT TO THIS
the only add on thought..I have is...that when we feel angry..we are not in sin...it is how we respond...that can be sinful
BE YE ANGRY, AND SIN NOT
I know i have had many bouts of feeling angry..at sin...when I see its destruction in peoples lives...even to the point of hating sin...its how i respond...that determines..if have disobeyed..his word and way....(if I act malicously..and hold bitterness..then i have erred)..but having an angry feeling is not neccasarily sin