Keep at it! Anger is impatient and it is often when things are not happening when we want them to happen or how we want them to happen that our anger flares up and exposes our heart of anger. Ugh! This happens too often for me (traffic, kids, counseling, study, finances, life, etc.).
As we have seen, the course of our lives moves towards wisdom or foolishness. Anger is foolish, and the angry way is the easier way (but also the way with the greatest hardship and regret). To follow foolishness, we just need to follow our desires (don't deny yourself or at the very least look for some selfish advantage in what you must do). This path of foolishness is deceptive because it offers the sense of control and power. The end is misery, being overpowered by anger, and tattered relationships. The recovery from this is far more difficult than the hardship of choosing the path of wisdom.
The path toward wisdom is hard, but good. Wisdom is the art of understanding the best life and the more we choose the path of wisdom the more pleasant and satisfying life will be even through its difficulties and challenges.
One core example of wisdom is steadfast love (the antithesis of anger). It is loving others even when it is costly, inconvenient, and hard. We must persist in this course of wisdom (love) even though it initially may seem awkward and counterproductive. Anger insists on loving self, but wisdom (Christ) insists on loving God and others. Persist until it becomes more natural and God gives you grace and victory.
Anger is a resilient enemy and once it has lodged in our hearts, it is reluctant to yield the territory it has gained. The eradication of anger is not an easy task and it will remind us over and over again as it rears its ugly head, that it desires to master us. But, Christ, the power of the gospel (cross), and the Spirit all remind us that we have been given the victory and they will continue to work in us for the glory of God. Anger will not be removed in a day, but today is a day to experience victory through Christ as He works in us forming us into His image.
One last reminder: whenever we struggle with anger we can be encouraged to know that God is still at work in us and His work is not finished. We will not be perfect this side of glory, but as Rush Witt states, "God has the ability to bend even our sin toward His glory." As He works out His pleasures in us and we fix our gaze upon Him, He will be glorified in us even through the work of transforming us through our sin. Persist in the battle against anger by His grace...
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