Anger

As I sit here in front of  my laptop screen trying to put down the sudden anger that came to me due to a silly Facebook commit, I'm finding the lessons of staying out of other people's dreams helpful.

When anger strikes and sometimes at odd moments for odd reasons, we have to realize that we have the control, anger doesn't. It is rare that I get angry any more. There are too many things that would try to rile me up and I've learned that in actuality there are no reasons for anger.

Anger is an emotion lead by the devilish temptations of a personal sense of self. It is a feeling that others are stepping on our 'toes'; a warmonger trying to create problems between people or societies. It is an emotion that I do not wish to play party to, a loss of control of humility. Anger is a loss of personal control, a loss of graciousness.

Anger blinds people and creates factions. Anger causes long term disputes. Anger brings with it damage of violence or words that cannot be taken back.

Anger misrepresents us, showing our animality, ugliness, gracelessness, uncontrolled self-centeredness. It doesn't bring to the table of communication  arbitration, listening, open mindedness. Anger closes the eyes and ears to another's side and only makes us feel like our side is the only side.

Anger's lingering effects is resentment, hurt feelings, loss of friendships, family, and relationships. Anger doesn't bring us the reward of gain but instead the outcome of loss.

Anger is destructive not constructive. Anger tears down, abuses, removes. It doesn't build up, protect, give us anything productive or constructive.

We are told in The Holy Bible, the King James Version, "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city."1

Mary Baker Eddy, the founder and discoverer of Christian Science, states, "There is immense wisdom in the old proverb, "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty." Hannah More said, 'If I wished to punish my enemy, I should make him hate somebody.'"2

To handle anger, by a slow methodical process or a quick denial of anger's claims that there is something worthy to lose control over, keeps us above the temptations of the devil's attempts to use and abuse us. It saves us from regret! It protects us from backlash and harm. It allows us to stay mentally and physically in control of our own environment. It gives to us a sense of God's ever- present Peace and Love. It allows us to be better examples of the Christ.

We can handle situations that comes to us in the knowledge that what comes from God is Good, giving, happy, calm, peaceful. What comes from the liar, the tempter, is agitating, ruffling, upsetting, distracting. The Good God gives to us is progressive and soothing. The temptations of evil is destructive and irritating.

Let us see that anger isn't our normal state of being. Let us see that anger isn't a natural part of us as the children of God. Let us see that anger is a temptation as any other emotion that takes us away from joyfulness and grace.

Let us pray that we always stay above all the temptations of the devil and not ever be a part of its dismal darkness.

For we are told, "rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil."3
By turning to this gracious and merciful God of great kindness He will change our thoughts from the evil to His ever-present blessings of Good.

Thank you God, I feel much better under Your loving control.

Gentle hugs

1 King James Version of The Holy Bible Proverbs 16 vs. 32
2 Miscellaneous Writings by Mary Baker Eddy pg 223 lines 25-28
3 King James Version of The Holy Bible Joel 2 vs. 13