Anger

Herod became furious. 

Anger can be a powerful and fierce emotion.   If left unchecked, it can cause us to make rash decisions and lead us to hurt innocent people.   Just look at Herod.   He heard a king had been born in Israel and he was afraid.   This child was a threat, and Herod wanted to get rid of him quickly.   When the Magi didn’t cooperate with his plan, he became furious. So he lashed out, ordering the deaths of all young boys in and around Bethlehem.

Such a violent act horrifies us.   And it should!   It seems so arbitrary and unnecessary.   Herod could have taken any number of other less drastic measures to protect himself.   But as terrible as his reaction is, the truth is that none of us are immune to the pitfalls of anger.

It can start small.   Maybe you get annoyed because your husband eats the lunch you had packed for yourself.   It was just one thoughtless action, but you start to generalize and tell yourself he’s always inconsiderate or selfish.   You start scolding him even when he has done nothing wrong.   You might even find yourself lashing out at your children who aren’t even involved.   They don’t deserve your wrath, but it’s too late; your anger is out of hand.

Anger can snowball to the point that we strike out against anyone.   But there are some practical steps we can take to keep this from happening:

• First, be attentive to what’s going on in your mind.   As soon as you see frustration or annoyance bubbling up, ask God to help you deal with it before it overflows into something more damaging.

• Try to think of one positive quality about the person you’re angry with.   It may seem like a small thing, but stopping to see their virtues can give you a better perspective.   It can also help you cool down.

• Finally, pray for that person.   It’s hard to stay angry with someone you’re lifting up to the Lord.   It will help you see them from God’s perspective, and you may even find yourself feeling more compassionate toward them.

Unchecked anger is destructive.   But we don’t have to be controlled by it.   God can help us break the cycle.

word among us