Do you get angry very often? If so, have you ever stopped and asked why?
A while back, I started to feel some anger well up within. It’s happened before, I confess, but I like to live an anger free life. So, it didn’t take long for me to notice storm clouds gathering in my mental atmosphere.
The anger felt justified. Another person was very late for an appointment. I had tons of things to do, and there I sat in a remote location unable to do them.
“Whoa!” I said to the negativity welling up within.
“Why are you getting angry?” I asked myself.
“Because I’m not getting my way.” I protested. “I had certain expectations and they were not being fulfilled.”
“That’s no excuse.” The inner voice replied. “Anger is a sin. Its selfishness, human ego thinking about itself, striving for what it wants, not getting it, then feeling justified in complaining and griping about it.”
Then I began to think of other times in my life when I got angry. The more I remembered, the more aghast I became at the evilness of anger.
Anger is a bad sign, I began to clearly see. It’s an ego-bloat of the carnal mind.
For instance, people don’t get what they want, they get mad. A politician votes against a constituent’s hopes, the constituent gets mad. A boss gives a project to a different employee, the worker left out gets mad. A child doesn’t get his favorite toy, she gets mad. Of course, this is not always the case, but I think you know what I mean.
Jesus got angry at the money-changers in the temple. The temple grounds were filled with greed and lust, and Jesus wanted it out. That’s not the kind of anger I’m talking about here. I’m talking about self-serving anger that does not bless anyone and hurts many, especially ourselves.
Life is all about learning to love more. Jesus taught his followers to love, and to love more, and to love even more. The more we are faithful to his teachings the less tempted we will be to get angry. Instead of fuming about not getting our way, we’ll focus on how to bless those around us with our loving thoughts.
Now that’s a happier healthier way to live.
Thank you so much, Evan! This is just the message I have been needing.
Evan
although i have not made comments to date, pls know i look forward to them each day.
this one hits close to home.
it took many years for me to learn this lesson. life has been so much better lately as a result.
thanks again.
yes this surge of anger…has happened often in my past life and just rescently i was in a more spiritually focused state of mind to catch it quickly..and deal with it at the moment. Before I would feel justified,and be angry about someone else or life disruptin me and be t-offed by that. But just rescently, due to trying to maintain my attitude of unceasing prayer and staying on the ball and standing proter at the door of thought that when this anger started to swell up rescently i recognized it as something that was not positive and started to realize that tho somethhing may have happened to make me feel justtified in feeling this way, that it wasnt right to react this way….and it was amazing how being aware…and having this new attitude surface…in how the glich in my mental make up resceeded quickly and i was amazed about how peace was restored quickly…..I heard a quote somewhere once…”if you want to make someone suffer, make them angry”..and i guess mortal mind likes to lull us into that state when it can…so be on guard and notice any thing negative rising up in thought and think about it and deal with it accordingly. I grew from this momemnt. It was one of the gems of great price that i found rescenty.
…make sure your relationship with HIM is right and great things will come to pass,…we unconsciously play god and overdepend on people, they are human and will fail you..[big book of a.a.] also self will has failed me soooo, need to get over my silly sweet self, have humility and let go and let god, no expectations, do i want to be right or do i want to be happy,no disapointments, god will take care of us. thank u and god bless u evan.