WELL AGED ANGER

WELL AGED ANGER

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Psalm [NLT] 90:11-12 [Lord,] Who can comprehend the power of your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve. 12 Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

Hebrews [NLT] 12:11-15 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. 12 So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. 13 Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong. 14 Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

Dear fellow travelers,

  When I speak of my maturation, please understand I’m not bragging, I just want you to learn from my knowledge and experience gained as I aged in God’s grace. This 2Timothy 2:1-2 vocation was drilled into us years ago in Maryland Bible Institute. One exercise was memorizing and personalizing: “… my dear son Ed, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. 2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.” (NLT)

  Some have the idea I don’t get angry. I do. I experienced anger this morning.

  However, two things are distinctively different between now and my old life BC The Word living and written: Anger was almost always connected to ego, my pride. I was subjective to emotion of anger; it distracting me from objectivity. My life passive-aggressively was contrary to Ephesians 4:26. I festered.

  Let there be no doubt, as God’s John 1:12 children we are but sojourners with mission defined in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. We shouldn’t deny our emotion, but we are not to be sidetracked by prizing and embracing emotion as does this world. Let us not lose John 3:3 sight of our present place of serving Him while counting our days this side of heaven.  EBB4