Temper Tantrum Halted!

Have you ever been angry…I mean the type of anger where your emotions completely take over leading to words you wish you didn’t say or thoughts you wish you didn’t have? Recently, something happened that made me SO angry. I felt the rise in my emotions (and likely my blood pressure). I began the process of unhealthy thoughts and words, if I’m being honest. While my emotions gained momentum, I knew I was headed to a dangerous place. I retreated to my room and clicked on my Bible app and this verse popped up:

Ecclesiastes 7:9, “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.” (NIV)

Ummm….HELLO!!…anger resides in the lap of fools…well now I didn’t want that!! I quickly repented of my thoughts, words and reigned in my emotions. I’m thankful that over the years, with lots of practice, I have learned how to get myself in check through God’s Word. It’s always what I need right when I need it. Sometimes, it’s not quite as blunt as this time, but I needed a strong word to combat strong emotions 🙂 My temper tantrum was halted!!

Anger is a dangerous thing if left to rise and grow. It is like a raging fire burning and scarring anyone and anything in its path. It divides and destroys. Most anger can be quickly stifled out with a few things:

• Forgiveness – FORGIVE IMMEDIATELY! Even if the person who made you angry didn’t ask for forgiveness, you must choose to forgive. Forgiveness is for you, not for others. And by the way, forgiveness means you don’t think about it and you don’t talk about it. Just forgive!
• Understanding – Seek to understand the situation fully, taking into consideration others’ emotions, circumstances and feelings. As said before, hurting people hurt people, so likely the person who angered you is hurting. Ask God to help you understand why they would do or say what they did to anger you, then ask God for compassion towards them and for Him to change your heart and attitude.
• Measuring – Measure everything according to eternity…in light of eternity, is it really worth the emotional energy and destruction to allow anger to consume you? Life is short, like a vapor, don’t waste a moment letting the enemy have control. Don’t give in to the fiery emotions that so quickly grow out of control.

These three things do not spell out a cool acrostic or anything but they have been instrumental in my life to combat anger at any level. Anger, or any other negative emotion has to be dealt with quickly to keep peace in your life. Peace keeps you in tune with the Holy Spirit and allows you to have clarity in your thoughts, words and actions. Fight for your peace NOT against others.

James 3:18, “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” (NIV)