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We Feed Our Anger


Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (I Corinthians 13:4-8a) 

            Love is not easily angered. That is all we need to be told to understand how small a part love plays in our society. All those folks who were angry about Mr. Obama. All those folks who are angry about Mr. Trump. All those activists marching and screaming against whatever. This isn’t our focus of the day, but in a society in which anger is so prevalent and accepted, it’s an easy bad habit to develop.  It doesn’t help that anger feels effective. It lets you get things done that might not happen otherwise. Fifteen years ago, I lost 90 lbs. because I got angry, and I am struggling to lose any now because I can’t get angry. Anger makes you feel right because of course, your anger is righteous. 
            I’ve been writing about loving God with a I Corinthians 13 kind of love. Love is not easily angered. Right now, I can’t say, “Yes, I am angry with God and here are the reasons why: 1… 2… 3....” There are times when I can. I also cannot say, “I’m not angry with God.” There are two kinds of anger: the clear and the clandestine. The latter is a nursed anger, something hidden beneath the surface. The angry person might not even notice it. It gets in the way of our love. 
         Neither of these forms of anger harms God. That is one of the things I love about God. He can handle my anger. He can weather the tiny storm of my fury. It is safe for me to be angry with God because no one else is damaged. At least, that may be true of the clear form of anger. The clandestine form of anger, the habitual, deep form harms everyone but God. If we love God we must not be easily angered by what He does or who He is.  As I think about this, it comes to mind that I don’t ask God for some things because I’m sure He’ll say “no.” It’s not that the thing I’m asking for is a bad thing. I may believe that He will say “yes” to others but when it comes down to it, He’ll say not to me because I am the one asking. This is what I mean by the clandestine anger. 
            Lord, I confess that I tend to be angry with You, sometimes without even realizing that I am angry. Anger is too much a part of my life. It is like a drug. I want to love You. Forgive my anger and work in and through it. Teach me to recognize it and to reject it. Change my mind, Lord, so that I can love You better.

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