Left unchecked our emotions, leave us vulnerable to emotional/physical explosions, which not only affect us personally but those around us, our families, friends, work colleagues and neighbors. These explosions come in varying forms, and we cope with it in varying ways.
Let's look at anger.
Now, anger is not entirely bad. It's a mechanism to help us discover that we may need to unpack deeper emotions. Experiencing anger can be yelling or constantly getting frustrated with someone or something. You can respond to others by ignoring them, answering them in short curt ways, using sarcasm, snide or degrading comments. The word of God tells us that what comes out of our mouth is what is coming from our heart. Our heart is what we think. It is the place where we store up all of our experiences (good and bad)
Luke 6:45 is sobering words for us; "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of."
and Proverbs 4:23 which says, 'Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flows springs of life.'
Given these verses, how do we do this? How can we
experience a new response other than anger?
It's allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal to you, your heart. 'Search me Lord, see if there is any wicked
way in me and lead me to understanding!' Maybe fast for awhile, or remove
entertainment, social media, shopping, drinking or whatever you feel like you
are turning to, to find comfort. Maybe that is even in relationships if you find
your meaning and purpose from others. Listening to the Lord in your quiet place
and then allow him to minister healing to the underlying pain or sin that he
wants to address.
One of the areas in my life that comes up every once in awhile are my own disappointments in life choices. Truth be told, when I face a situation that reminds me of past failures, or when I don't have a solution to a problem, emotions can come to the surface such as pain, shame and self pity and this begins to paralyze me. I'm reminded of the bullying, broken boundaries, and the sense that I often felt like I lacked more instructions on what I needed to face as an adult. (at the time I had no language to seek help) This caused me to walk in a false sense of independence. Trying to figure out life and all its complexities, with an attitude of 'you can't tell me what to do'. But under all of that is still someone who needs encouragement and guidance.
The best response in all of this is to surrender. To hand over all the disappointments over to Jesus which is a catalyst to healing. Giving Jesus our past poor choices and allowing ourselves to grieve the reasons behind it and then move on is huge. I think that’s the art of forgiveness. Where you forgive others and also forgive yourself, you choose to no longer shame yourself into apathy or self deprecation, which just cripples oneself to moving on toward the prize set before us and lose sight of the good still all around you.
If you find yourself wondering about your explosions, anger, or
how you are responding to others, seek out someone to pray with you. Someone who
will listen with you to the voice of Jesus who forgives all your sin, who offers
you hope even in the face of uncertainty, peace in the midst of turmoil, joy even
in your pain and an opportunity to encounter his eternal love that he has for you,
each and every day.
