Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Anger”
Our Bible verse for today: “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)
Our thought for today: “Don’t lose hope.”
A common cause of anger is a sense of hopelessness and despair. When a person has regrets about past actions, and despair regarding their current circumstances, and when they’re having difficulty seeing a clear path forward to a better tomorrow, they often experience a sense of hopelessness. That can lead to a simmering sense of anger that will often express itself in inappropriate ways.
But for Christians this should not be. As has already been discussed in a previous devotional message, the past is past and there’s nothing we can do to change it. God has forgiven us and therefore we need to forgive ourselves. There’s nothing to be gained from living in the past.
Likewise, the present is what it is and there’s nothing to be gained from grousing and moaning and complaining about it. That attitude will only make things worse. The key is to make smart choices today that will lead to a better tomorrow.
This is the attitude Paul was writing about in Philippians 3:13-14. The past was past and so he left it there. And for Paul, the present was all about putting one foot in front of the other and continuing to make forward progress towards what lay ahead for him. That was true with respect to his future in this life, but also with respect to his eternal destiny. Paul knew what God had waiting for him at the end of the journey.
If regrets, despair, and a sense of hopelessness are things you struggle with then I have a book I want to recommend to you. It’s called “The Traveler’s Gift” by Andy Andrews. It’s a short book, it’s Biblically based, and it’s an easy read. You can find it on Amazon.com and have it delivered in two days. It’s a wonderful little story that will help you to change your perspective about where you are today and about what the possibilities for tomorrow are. Once you’ve read this book I doubt that your mindset will be the same.
The truth is that no matter who you are or what you’re going through, no matter how old you are, no matter what has happened in the past, and no matter how you feel about the future, God has a wonderful plan for your life. Jeremiah 29:11 and Philippians 3:13-14 are just two of the passages that prove that to be true. “The Traveler’s Gift” will help you to gain a better appreciation of that great truth.
Hopelessness can be a primary cause of anger. But Christians should not feel hopeless. God has something good planned for you.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 