Anger – Running After Papa

I’m considering a month long experiment – this morning in my quiet time I so enjoyed my extended time on the back porch with just a cup of coffee and the scripture, that I became disgusted with myself.

I realized that I am so lazy and waste so much time. I remember a time – and not too long ago – when I passionately pursued my relationship with the Lord. Where did that go? How did I get to here?

Through some recent experiences and observations that have been placed before me, I have spent a bit of time reflecting and getting really honest with myself… Frankly, that can be a really scary place. In that introspection, I didn’t like what I saw. When I peel off the sanguine exterior and the professional demeanor, I have come to realize just how true the old saying “… you are what you eat…” is in my life. Ha ha… not because I’ve become a cup of coffee or anything, but because of what my life has become… self absorbed, stressful, angry, and negative. Those characteristics are NOT what I am nor what I want to be. As a result of them, I’ve found myself more distanced from my family and friends and find myself a little lonely.

Those who know me, may not yet see it because mostly it stays on the inside, just simmering like a big pot of chili on low heat on the back eye of the stove. But I know it’s there. I know it wouldn’t take much for the pot to boil over and splatter that hot chili all over my kitchen and potentially on my family and friends.

How did it I get here? Fear. Mistrust. Judgement. Anger. Pride. These are my demons I battle regularly. They seem to have the most impact when my life is hectic and God get’s pushed out of my schedule so I can watch TV. There.. how’s that for being real? The idiot box is the prime source of everything negative, fearful, judgmental and self absorbing. The other biggest source other people. So many people are fearful, mistrusting, judgmental, angry, and self-absorbed… just like me.

This morning, I honestly and actually turned my own stomach.

So in my time with Daddy this morning, this little idea sprouted in my head… (I’m fairly sure I know where it came from… see James 1:17)

I’ve been captivated for the last several weeks on

Philippians 4:8 (The Message) Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.

What would it look like if for 30 days, I intentionally chose to eliminate every form of extraneous, non-best, input and influence from my life? What if (where I have control) I replace every worldly noise clamoring for my attention with something that kept my attention and focus on the Lord? What would that look like?

What if I renewed my mind with the God’s word in every way, shape, and form I could find?

Romans 12:2 (New King James Version) 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

What if I bathed myself in that which was true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, and praiseworthy?

What if I was intentional about not wasting any time and for 30 days specifically focused on ONE THING… SOMETHING SPECIFIC… – be it passion for Him, creativity, patience, wisdom, humility, mercy, etc. – for the next 30 days?

What if I consumed everything I could get from God with every spare moment?

I don’t know what it will look like, but I’m pretty excited about the journey. Our pastor this morning quoted that God’s word is a “lamp unto my feet” (Psalms 119:105) and is meant to reveal the next step.

I wonder where my next step will be?

I will keep you posted on the journey…. It starts soon….

…Running After Papa

12 In that day you will say:

“I will praise you, O Lord.

Although you were angry with me,

your anger has turned away

and you have comforted me.

² Surely God is my salvation;

I will trust and not be afraid.

The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song;

he has become my salvation.”

³ With joy you will draw water

from the wells of salvation.

⁴In that day you will say:

“Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;

make known among the nations what he has done,

and proclaim that his name is exalted.

⁵ Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;

let this be known to all the world.

⁶ Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,

for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”

The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.) (Is 12:1-6). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.

I’m reading through the book of James with another group of men in preparation for a Quest next week, but this morning, before I read my chapter in James, Papa had me turn to Isaiah 12. I like this passage a lot! As a songwriter, I think it would be a great worship song and am working on it! But that’s not the direction Papa took me this morning. I got really hung up in verse 1.

I have an NIV/The Message parallel Bible that lets me view the passages side by side and here is verse 1 in The Message version.

12 And you will say in that day,

“I thank you, God.

You were angry

but your anger wasn’t forever.

You withdrew your anger

and moved in and comforted me.

Peterson, E. H. (2002). The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (Is 12:1). Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress.

The last line is what caught my eye. “You withdrew your anger and moved in and comforted me.”

God has modeled the process for anger. He has modeled forgiveness – even outside of the gospel of Christ. Anger is active. Forgiveness active.

First off, Isaiah says that God’s anger wasn’t forever. God made a decision that the anger wasn’t eternal (Thank you Lord!) and that he was choosing to forgive. That’s the first step is the decision.

“…withdrew your anger…” – this is an active verb – to withdraw means “to take back or away”; “to remove from use”; “to remove from a place of deposit”

This implies that we put our anger somewhere; we deposit it and keep it in some place of use. Where is that place?

²⁴ Make no friendship with a man given to anger,

nor go with a wrathful man,

²⁵ lest you learn his ways

and entangle yourself in a snare.

The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Pr 22:24-25). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Proverbs 22:24-25 says “…lest you learn his ways…” Our soul is made up of three parts: the mind, the will, and the emotions. Anger is an emotion. That place we deposit anger is in the soul, it only makes sense that we process it from there (decision to release the anger – to withdraw the anger – actively)

What is anger all about?

Why do I get angry? Why am I angry?
Who am I angry at?
What am I angry about?
How long have I been angry? How long do I plan to stay angry?

When I begin to process these questions, I find that the MAJORITY of the time, my anger is about me and something in my life not going the way I think it should – rightly or not rightly so. I get angry because someone, some thing, or some something steps on, inhibits, refuses, hinders or ignores my rights, my feelings, my opportunities, my character or whatever.

There are cases of righteous anger (see John 2:13-17 when Jesus cleared the temple of the corruption in his Father’s house) and while they are righteous, they still cannot last forever. Righteous anger needs to be processed as well.

But for the non-righteous anger – which for me is the majority of the anger I deal with – God follows the pattern of Is 12:1.

After God decides to withdraw his anger, the next part of the verse says “…you [God] moved in and comforted me…”

Is this not exactly the Gospel message? God moved in – he became flesh and moved to earth to be crucified, buried and resurrected so that he could restore us to right relationship with God the Father (John 3:16). God comforts us – He is the God of Comfort (2 Cor 1:3-7)

Obviously, this could become a very long post, so for the sake of brevity, ask yourself the questions above. Ask Papa if you’re harboring any anger and how to actively decide and withdraw your anger. Ask Him what it looks like to move in and comfort the one you are angry at.

The book of James says if we lack wisdom, all we have to do is ask and He’ll give it freely (James 1:5-6).

Running After Papa…