Day 6
THursday, March 11
The Way Through Anger
Returning from my first deployment was difficult. Not only did my family have to readjust to the fact that I was returning with hard experiences, but I had to readjust to a family that had adapted to a life in my absence. Dealing with these frustrations brought anger in my thoughts and actions. It took a while, but I was finally able to see and acknowledge that I had to do something with my anger and focus on the goodness of God. Developing a practice of listening before speaking and getting clarity before reacting has really brought the opportunity to control my emotions. The Bible speaks of anger not as something wrong, but something that can be wrongly used and not something to dwell on. The book of James says the following about anger: “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God (James1:19-20 ESV). Situations in life may distract us from focusing on peace and goodness, but these verses are a great reminder that we can keep with us and put into action. Taking control of our anger brings the opportunity for us to live in righteousness. The more we listen, holding off our impulses to be heard or acknowledged and for our anger to be felt, the closer we will be to obtaining clarity and allowing the goodness of God to dwell in us and produce growth. Circumstances and mistakes will happen, but it is what you will do with them that will mark your future.
-Nelson Vazquez
Bible Reading for the Day:
Think and Act:
1. How has anger negatively affected your life in the past?
2. How can you bring the goodness of God into your daily practice to overcome your anger?