Are You Mad?

Now that we are all on the same page about drinking :) let me share some thoughts about anger. Angry people are said to be mad. Maybe that's appropriate because anger sometimes causes people to act insane. Listen, anger can consume your happiness, rob your joy, affect your health, end relationships, and wreck your faith.

Henry Drummond in his book, "The Greatest Thing in the World", said this: "No form of vice, not worldliness, not greed of gold, not drunkenness itself, does more to unchristianize society than evil temper. For embittering life, for breaking up relationships, for devastating homes, for withering up men and women, for taking the bloom of childhood, in short, for sheer gratuitous misery-producing power this influence stands alone." Wow!

Think about this: Realize anger is one of the emotions God gave you and is not a sin in itself. We all have anger but most of us don't lose control. Learn to communicate your feelings.

Acknowledge that being hot-blooded, a redhead, or some certain nationality are not plausible excuses for out-of-control outbursts.

Realize actions are controlled by the will, so you can decide to control anger's behavior. Here's something radical. Maybe start praying about it and then understand that some anger should be vented to God alone.

Use anger constructively but accept what can't be changed. Don't break a commandment to defend a commandment. That is not righteous indignation.

Humble yourself and listen to other people. You are not always right and don't always know better than anyone else.

Ask forgiveness from those offended by your angry outbursts. Anger doesn't really give you control. Asking forgiveness calms troubled situations.

Avoid substances that unleash anger. Drinking is the number one predictor of abuse. Also know that grief could be involved as anger is one of the stages in the grieving process.

Cultivate the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22,23) It leaves little room for inappropriate use of anger.

Up North Wisdom says that when you (me) decide to be no longer ruled by anger, your life, home, workplace, church, and relationships will be filled with peace and laughter. And you just might be a better driver as well. Blessings.