Anger is a God-given response to protect us when we feel threatened or insecure. Some people in our life arouse anger in our soul more than others. God advises us to go ahead and be angry, but not to sin in our anger (Ephesians 4:26). Resentment at not being given a choice about what happened in my life turned to anger and bitterness.
Those in
authority over me would not listen when I expressed what I wanted and needed,
and I felt like I did not matter. I usually kept quiet, rolling with the
punches, internalizing my feelings for as long as I could. However, some small
slight eventually unleashed all of that pent up emotion.
When I exploded
in anger to express my displeasure at what I was being forced to experience,
the unsuspecting victim of my outburst looked at me like I had two heads and
wondered about my sanity. The eruption was quick. However, my volcanic anger
left emotional scars in others, which were as destructive as volcanic lava.
I eventually
learned that my pent up anger from unresolved issues in my childhood was added
to those current feelings of anger. This caused my emotional outbursts to
devastate those around me. My anger over the events of my past increased the
expression of my anger over the issues occurring at the moment.
God eventually
set me free from the pain of my past by revealing its source. He exposed
Satan’s lies, spoken to me during negative experiences, which held me in
bondage to fear and insecurity my whole life. Then He revealed His truth to
replace those lies. (www.theophostic.com)
Negative
emotions are actually red flags. When I first start feeling them, I examine my
beliefs and the actions, which cause them. I look for an idol, which God is
exposing, or I separate my self-worth from the opinion of others. Now, rather
than to allow my negative feelings to pile up inside of me, I quickly repent of
my idol or firmly appeal to my authority to consider my feelings.
Prayer:
Father God, You
advise us not to allow the issues of this life to trouble our soul. We can
bring everything to You and make our requests in prayer. You help us to live in
quiet expectation of Your purpose for the trials we experience. Your peace,
which transcends all human reasoning, will guard our feelings and thoughts. We
lift up our soul to Your safe keeping (Philippians
4:6-7; Psalm 25:1).
Thought for the
Day:
Attentiveness to our troubled soul
can allow us to find peace in our heart by expressing our feelings before they
escalate into anger.
