Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Anger”
Our Bible verse for today: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.” Psalm 139:23 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “If you’re looking for the cause of your anger, look into your own heart.”
In order to manage anger we have to identify the source of it. Unfortunately when most people try to determine the reasons for their anger they point to other people and to external pressures. If the other person hadn’t said this or done that; if I only had a bigger paycheck; if I was younger, healthier, prettier; if I lived somewhere else; etc; then I wouldn’t be angry all the time.
Most people are experts at rationalizing their anger and convincing themselves that it really is the fault of other people or eternal circumstances. Such thinking might be convenient but it certainly isn’t true. With the exception of righteous anger properly expressed, your anger is yours. It comes from within your heart and you have choices you can make about how to deal with it.
The Bible writer James addressed this in James 4:1-2: “What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from the cravings that are at war within you? You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war.”
In other words, the conflicts are driven by selfish desires and sinful motives. It’s a problem of the heart. Yes it’s true that other people might be mean to you or treat you unfairly, and yes external circumstances certainly can create great pressures in our lives, but we are still responsible for how we choose to respond to those people and circumstances. Anger, improperly expressed, comes from the heart and therefore it must be dealt with on that level.
This is important because anger is a quality of life issue. The less angry we are the better life is for us, and for everyone around us. So it’s imperative to identify the source of the anger and to deal with it at its source, and that means looking deeply into your own heart. The Holy Spirit will be more than happy to assist you with that.
That’s exactly the point made in Psalm 139:23. Anger is a natural human emotion that originates in the heart and we have to find ways to deal with it in a healthy way. The Holy Spirit helps us to do that.
I encourage you to spend some extra time today just sitting quietly before the Lord. Invite the Spirit to search your heart and to bring to your conscious mind any anger issues that need special attention in your life. Then ask Him to help you find healing and resolution so the anger (in whatever form it is taking), will be dealt with.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 