giving the devil an opportunity to use the annoyance for a destructive purpose, when God meant it for a

ANGER MANAGEMENT Dealing with Annoyances

c In your anger do not sin; do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. - Ephesians 4:26-27

one.

("a robber's den") - Matt 21:13. But note: He didn't beat anybody up or curse or do anything sinful as a result of His anger.

"Be angry": Anger is a n result of being an emotional creature. It is the natural effect of having feelings.

Personal desires result in g that can be blocked. In this world, I won't get everything I want; not even the "good things" that aren't sinful or corrupt.

Being angry is not a s . Even God is sometimes angry! (Ex. 4:14; Num. 11:10; Mark 3:5)

Sometimes I should be glad I didn't get something I want, if getting it would make more problems than it would solve.

I or d the anger, will just allow the anger to disrupt or damage my life by trading one problem (whatever happened) for another (feelings of self-pity, "anesthetizing" of emotions, selfrighteous platitudes, etc.)

What I need to do is seek out the cause. What is that cause?

Sometimes it is n

It may be something of interest to G (like abortion of innocent children, or the blindness of unbelief), or...

s to be unhappy or even angry about a frustrated goal, such as losing the chance to have a vacation with my family, or seeing my house burn down.

This is d ! It’s a lie! It’s sin! If we do it, we’ve already given the devil a foothold.

It may be something of interest to m (like not getting some thing or experience I want, or avoiding an experience I don't want).

What should be done instead?

Anger is n the problem; it is only an indication that something is happening within me or to me that I do not like.

“Letting the sun go down while I’m still angry," is allowing the anger to “cook” within us, to do a slow burn... It turns into h waiting for r

ag

, .

“Giving the devil a foothold” is allowing the anger to control my emotional state, with the result of an angry outburst that hurts people, just adds more problems to whatever already took place. This is

So, what is the goal/desire being blocked or hindered? Is it a goal that represents G ‘s desire or one that represents a personal desire? Example of "righteous anger": Jesus in the temple, turning over the tables because His "Father's house" was being used as a place of merchandise

& non-

The more I allow s and personal ambitions to influence my feelings, the more I will make goals and desires out of things that are, at best, meant to be part of the "benefits" of life (like being appreciated or having nice things, or physical pleasure.) This is especially dangerous if such goals/desires are a part of my feelings of self-worth or fulfillment, so that frustration of such goals amounts to major failure. God's desires for us are goals that c

be blocked.

Nothing of God's purposes can be stopped by anyone or anything. The Lord of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back? Isaiah 14:27

God's goals for us are better and more far-reaching than anything that is limited to this world or to our own selfish interests. Examples of God's goals for us: • Be conformed to the image of His Son (Rom 8:29) • Be mature & complete in our faith, lacking nothing (Jam 1:4) • To walk worthy of God, pleasing Him and bearing fruit, increasing in knowledge and strength. (Col. 1:10-11)

won't tolerate this frustration. I'm going to let you know just how much I resent this blockage of my goal." At the bottom line, it's an issue not so much of goals but of who's in charge of my life, and therefore who has the right to set and achieve goals. There may be a place for certain desires or goals in my life, but it's not f place.

MANAGEMENT

There can be only first place in this category - no ties, no shared titles. (Only one throne in my heart, and it's not a "love seat."

Dealing with Annoyances

What about my desires and goals? How about separating them into 3 categories? 1.

Things I should n

2.

Things I can have s , but should avoid making a habitual pattern of life (like sleeping in, or other pleasures of the flesh). These I need to discipline.

3.

Things I can a have, because they are part of God's will for the person who walks according to His will (like being kind to others, or worshiping Him, or having a good time with my family.) These I may enjoy.

Things that seem to f our personal goals are meant to be what God uses to accomplish His goals. A things will be fashioned together for a good end, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. (Rom 8:28; see also Gen 50:20) And “do not sin." The sin is not in the feeling of anger as much as in what I do when I allow that anger to provoke me to do something outside of God's will. When I react sinfully to anger, I am saying, "My own personal goals are more important than God's goals, and I

ANGER

have.

Answers to fill-in-the-blanks: not, ignoring, denying, destructive, holding, grudge, revenge, constructive, normal, sin, God, man, God’s, goals, normal, non-sinful, selfishness, cannot, frustrate, All, first, 1, never, sometimes, always

NEW LIFE CORRECTIONS MINISTRY W ayside Cross Ministries 215 E. New York Street Aurora IL 60505 (630) 723-3406