Anger, Anger, Everywhere

There are a lot of people walking around with short fuses or on edge, these days. I’ve experienced it myself a couple of times, just this week. Little things that ordinarily would not bother me, causing me to react; or think of reacting, in a manner that I ordinarily, would not react in. And it’s not always the hostile, in your face anger, it’s the just below the surface anger, the quick to disregard the consideration of others anger, the “me first” anger, that seems to me, to be the instrumental propellent, behind these anger manifestations.

I found myself muttering to myself about how prices on groceries are going up, muttering out loud, “that’s ridiculous!”, with thoughts quickly forthcoming about greed, excessive profits and price gouging. And it happens not only when grocery shopping, the same thing happens when I get gas for the car, or I’m replacing a toaster or whatever other common item one might need to replace. Things are changing all around me, which I have little, if any, control over, and I don’t like it, I don’t like it at all.

One needs not mentally wander very far, to take this to the next level. Political advertisements are rampant with accusations and finger pointing, asserting blame and various reasons why not to vote for this individual. All political venues use this ploy, because it works. It’s always “them” that is the problem, never us, or our own lack of consideration for others, that is to blame. And when I consider what is happening in Ukraine, with what these people have to deal with, the unfairness and devastation that they must endure, in comparison to the inconveniences that I apparently must endure, my below the surface anger, is also coupled with shame. How absorbed our mentality is, to equate our inconveniences, with their daily onslaught of disparity.  The “have’s” and the “have not’s” are all around us, and we’ve collectively losing the ability to consider the disparity of others, be they children, people of different colour, or strangers in a foreign land, because of our focus on us. 

It’s not “them” that is the root problem, although that’s the popular explanation given throughout the world today, the problem is always the collective “us”. We’re all part of the problem and throughout all of recorded history, we always have been. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8). “There is a way which seems right to a person, But its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 16:25)

For those of us who wear the name of “Christian”, our Kingdom is not supposed to be of this world, yet many would have a difficult time discerning this Biblical truth, by our own actions and words. Our “Christian mandate” is not the same as God’s. It’s not about making the USA, Canada, or any country great again, it’s supposed to be, make the people of this world right again, with God. That is why Jesus gave us the Great Commission, it’s about God changing our hearts and the hearts of others.

Too simplistic you say? Maybe it is, but had we as Christians, earnestly followed God’s mandate, instead of devising our own manipulations for power and control, maybe, just maybe, we wouldn’t be in the situation that we all find ourselves in, today. Fundamental Christian realities such as “Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of armies.” (Zechariah 4:6 emphasis is mine) comes to mind. But what does this mean? It means that God is committed to completing any work that He has begun and any work He has asked us to do. That would be His work versus our devised work, that would be His mandate, versus our mandate. Seems difficult to understand how we continually miss that truth, doesn’t it?

The feelings of anger that sometimes manifest themselves in me, is misplaced anger. That anger is focused towards others, because of my consideration of me. And therein lies my problem. Little picture (mine), bigger picture (God’s). 

Lord have mercy, forgive me and remold my heart.

Worthy is the Lamb! Blessings!