Friday's thoughts

When it comes to anger I have focused on two aspects of it. There is anger against other people and there is anger against God.

When we become angry with someone it usually centers around the fact that they have done something to us and we imagine that what they have done has been intentional. They were out to get us and they got us. They thought through what the worst thing they could do and they did it.

They annoy us with their actions. The truth is, most of the time, the people who annoy us have not thought about us that much. When people make us angry it usually isn't about us; it's about them. They have something going on in their lives and their words are hurtful to us, but it is more a reflection of what is going on with them. When people annoy us we can realize it isn't about us; it's about them. That helps us deal with our anger.

When we become angry with God it is an entirely different thing. When God is urging us to do something it is very personal and it is all about us. I maintain that most of the deep anger we have is something that goes to the core of our being and therefore relates to God; who is the ground of our being. We sometimes think God does things to us to teach us a lesson; to punish us; to test us; and to annoy us. I don't think God does things to us to upset us or to get even with us or to punish us. I do think God interferes with us; messes with us; interacts with us; calls us; and confronts us. God is active in the world trying to get us to do what needs to be done; to fulfill purposes greater than ourselves. This activity of God can make us angry unless we look around and see what we are being asked to be and do is to fulfill out lives.

Something is being asked of us. We can become angry at that or we can respond to it. When we respond to what is being asked of us we begin to see our life's purpose fulfilled. But first we have to look around.

What can we do to deal with people who annoy us? What can we learn about the people who annoy us? What can we do with the God who is calling us to act? How can we hear it and understand it?

The most important thing about anger is that we pay attention to us and to see what it is doing to us and why we are impacted by it.

What makes you angry?
Do you become angry with God?

Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your response click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles