What about Anger
I believe that anger is not beneficial to anyone, except in very very rare situations. Anger is a poor tool for instruction, seldom really making a positive difference in someone else's life. I believe for me, anger is only an exercise of belief that I can change things. If I submit to God's will and understand that God is in control even in this moment, then it is much less likely that I will become angry.
I usually make sure that I voice what bothers me about something before I get angry about it. My reason for this is because I believe that anything "exposed to the light", laid open and bare, is something that the enemy can not take advantage of. I think that scripture provides a lot of wisdom for 'so' many situations in our lives; anger, communication, love, discord, jealousy, etc. etc. If I notice myself getting angry I can usually reflect to something that I had 'not' said (not brought to light), that bothered me before I got to that point. I usually find that people that have gotten me angry have not tried to do so, but they simply do not understand why what they are doing is bothering me. If I explain in to them in love (no yelling, I hate yelling, or even voice raising), they usually 'really' want to help resolve the situation. However if I wait until I am frustrated to tell them what is bothering me, then who I am talking to will hear it in my voice and may not want to comply because they take offense at my being angry at them; which they don't feel is justified (there is more spiritual stuff I believe is going on in the background here as well).
However there are times that I have gotten angry. And the last two times were with people that believed that I was trying to get over on them or do something to them when I am not. Both of these last times that I got angry, in hindsight, I believe that I was being taught a lesson about the spirit world. I believe this because both of the people that got angry with me, did so because they believed that I was doing something that I was not. They believed that I was trying to get over on them, or they believed that I was trying to take control over something that I was not. Actually, now I am thinking about three times that I was angry. Though one of those times I'm not sure if I passed beyond the "really upset and frustrated" mark :-) ...
In a relationship I believe that it is important that each of the people involved have the support of the other person to be able to express their anger without being chastised for it. It has to be something that both of the individuals are willing to talk about (without yelling or raising of voices of course). I have 'so' many thoughts on anger. I really don't find much value in it at all. And usually, even when I get angry, I have a tendency of being very serious and trying to be as reasonable as possible. Though I realize now that there are times that trying to reason by human effort is of no benefit, and I am left with only prayer. I say 'only' prayer though I realize that it is the most important course that I have. There is so much about anger that I believe is the result of the enemy trying to make sure that we are anything but; peaceful, patient, kind, gentle, etc. etc.
There are times to be angry, though those are few and far in between. Times to be angry relate to righteous indignation, though I'm not sure how that differs from simply trying to get someone's attention so they understand that what they are doing is wrong. I think back to two of the three last times that I recall being angry and think to myself that I could have handled it better. One of them was much worse than the other. I am grateful that God has taught me so much through these experiences. And I realize the most important lesson of all, that I am not able to be righteous on my own. I am not able to be 'righteous' through my own effort. In fact it is not possible to be 'righteous' except by turning to God and letting God be 'righteous' through me. In which case it is not 'my' righteousness, but rather God's righteousness as he works through me.
I usually make sure that I voice what bothers me about something before I get angry about it. My reason for this is because I believe that anything "exposed to the light", laid open and bare, is something that the enemy can not take advantage of. I think that scripture provides a lot of wisdom for 'so' many situations in our lives; anger, communication, love, discord, jealousy, etc. etc. If I notice myself getting angry I can usually reflect to something that I had 'not' said (not brought to light), that bothered me before I got to that point. I usually find that people that have gotten me angry have not tried to do so, but they simply do not understand why what they are doing is bothering me. If I explain in to them in love (no yelling, I hate yelling, or even voice raising), they usually 'really' want to help resolve the situation. However if I wait until I am frustrated to tell them what is bothering me, then who I am talking to will hear it in my voice and may not want to comply because they take offense at my being angry at them; which they don't feel is justified (there is more spiritual stuff I believe is going on in the background here as well).
However there are times that I have gotten angry. And the last two times were with people that believed that I was trying to get over on them or do something to them when I am not. Both of these last times that I got angry, in hindsight, I believe that I was being taught a lesson about the spirit world. I believe this because both of the people that got angry with me, did so because they believed that I was doing something that I was not. They believed that I was trying to get over on them, or they believed that I was trying to take control over something that I was not. Actually, now I am thinking about three times that I was angry. Though one of those times I'm not sure if I passed beyond the "really upset and frustrated" mark :-) ...
In a relationship I believe that it is important that each of the people involved have the support of the other person to be able to express their anger without being chastised for it. It has to be something that both of the individuals are willing to talk about (without yelling or raising of voices of course). I have 'so' many thoughts on anger. I really don't find much value in it at all. And usually, even when I get angry, I have a tendency of being very serious and trying to be as reasonable as possible. Though I realize now that there are times that trying to reason by human effort is of no benefit, and I am left with only prayer. I say 'only' prayer though I realize that it is the most important course that I have. There is so much about anger that I believe is the result of the enemy trying to make sure that we are anything but; peaceful, patient, kind, gentle, etc. etc.
There are times to be angry, though those are few and far in between. Times to be angry relate to righteous indignation, though I'm not sure how that differs from simply trying to get someone's attention so they understand that what they are doing is wrong. I think back to two of the three last times that I recall being angry and think to myself that I could have handled it better. One of them was much worse than the other. I am grateful that God has taught me so much through these experiences. And I realize the most important lesson of all, that I am not able to be righteous on my own. I am not able to be 'righteous' through my own effort. In fact it is not possible to be 'righteous' except by turning to God and letting God be 'righteous' through me. In which case it is not 'my' righteousness, but rather God's righteousness as he works through me.
posted by Timothy at 1/29/2005 06:59:00 AM
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