When Anger Strikes

Have you ever had one of those moments in which something happened that pushed that anger button within you? I mean something that made you feel as though you could put your fist through the wall...twice? This morning I was upstairs with my kids while my wife was in the shower and our dog was sitting at my feet. My wife called me downstairs and told me she needed to show me something. Immediately my mind starting thinking about what I might have left laying in the family room (like a half full coffee cup) that would cause me to be summoned. I went downstairs trying to determine if that half-smile on her face was one of amusement or frustration. When I hit that bottom of the stairs I saw her pointing behind my big blue leather chair and the first thought that ran through my mind was "Whew! It's not me this time." The second thought was "I am going to kill that dog!"

Sometime that morning, without any of us realizing it, the dog chewed a hole 8 inches in diameter in the corner of our 40 year old Bulgarian area rug. This rug was given to us by some dear friends as a gift when we moved from N.C. to CO three and a half years ago. This was a rug that had great value to both of us. We began to "explain" to the dog that if it were not for the kids attachment to her she would be on her way to the pound and she was immediately and forcefully escorted to the back door and banished to the back yard for the day.

Shortly thereafter, I left to go to my office (which ended up being my favorite coffee shop) so that I could work on sermon prep and my other super spiritual pastoral duties. As I was driving along, I realized that even though she was a dog, I reacted wrongly to her. Yes she is a dog and some would say that dogs don't understand or remember but I know my dog understands and remembers. I allowed myself to react in anger. I allowed my wife and my children see me lash out in anger. I believe I violated the command from Ephesians 4:26 which says, "In your anger do not sin:" I was also allowing the anger of that moment to affect my attitude and if I allowed myself to continue in that attitude I would in essence be "allow[ing] the sun to go down while [I was] angry..." (Eph. 4:26). Finally, I would be allowing that attitude to affect my whole day and who knows how that would play out except to say it would not be good..."and do not give the devil a foothold." (Ephesians 4:27)

As I walked into the coffee shop and began to open up my laptop the Holy Spirit brought to mind the passage from Exodus 34:6 which says "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness" (Exodus 34:6 - emphasis mine). How many times have I been that dog that chewed a hole in the priceless area rug and yet God was compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in love? More times than I can count.

I am amazed at how God uses brief events in our lives to remind us of his character. I am amazed at how God uses these events to show us the areas that we have to grow in. I pray that God will continue to show me his greatness and awesomeness and that I will continually surrend to the work of the Holy Spirit in my life in order that I would "be filled with the Spirit" Eph. 5:18.

So the question is this: When something happens that causes that anger button to be pushed, will we allow the Holy Spirit to control us or will be give the devil another foothold?