Anger

As I read tonight from my Counseling book, I came across the section on anger once more. The first day's passages from "Anger" deal with the heavenly attitude towards wrong done to someone personally. In this case, I obviously read it as it pertained to my life.

Specifically, I was hit by Romans 12:21, which reads, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." It struck me because to act this out requires a completely different attitude that one we are naturally accustomed to take when we feel wronged. More poignantly, it struck me because I do not have this heavenly, godly attitude working for the most part in my life. And nowhere is this more visible than when I step onto a soccer field (or into any other competitive arena - heck, I am competitive when I play Uno with my 10 year-old nephew).

As many know, I play soccer at least once a week at USC's Cromwell Track and Field. Normally, students and people from the neighborhood mingle and play pickup "footie" matches. Sunday night is the normally scheduled night. However, I am out of school now and that means any night is fair game. Over the past week, I have retaliated several times against people for playing too physically or unfairly. Sometimes, these retaliations have been completely unwarranted. Even worse, some of them have been worse than the original "wrong."

As I read some of the verses dealing with anger, I felt convicted about how little discretion and how much foolishness I show in retaliating. I am not "pursuing peace with all men" when I do this (Hebrews 12:14-15), nor am I "looking at others as more important than myself" (Philippians 2:3-5). And I do not act this way only on the soccer field. It shows up in my classroom and at my home.

Therefore, I resolve to meditate on Hebrews 12:14-15, Proverbs 15:1, Philippians 2:3-5, 14, and Proverbs 19:11 to help reshape and remold my attitude. My roommate Tom and I had a discussion this evening about how our brains must be rewired to change our behaviors, through both thinking and practice. This helped me realize that I can't change much without putting change into practice. Although, I also know I need to pray for help from the Holy Spirit. Dwelling on this Scripture will help me remember to act differently, which in turn, will change my attitudes even more so. Thus, a never-ending cycle of goodness flowing into my mind and out to my actions, preparing me to respond lovingly to situations which might have angered me before!

Prayer for the Day

Jesus, help me to remember your sacrifice on the cross more and more every day, so that I can have your attitude: considering others better than myself. I am so weak to do this, because I can be very selfish. Yet, convict me with the Holy Spirit to cease from anger, forsake wrath, and overlook transgressions in love. Give me the strength to love those who don't love me, because you love them.