The Lord is gracious and merciful.The Lord is gracious and merciful
slow to anger and of great kindness.
Have you ever heard the metaphor "He has a short fuse?" Do you know anyone who fits this description? You probably don't have to look too far. There are a lot of angry people in the world. They pop up in traffic, long lines, kid's sporting events, and (from personal experience) Disney.
A great deal of anger comes from the hectic pace of life. Short tempers are directly related to feelings of being overwhelmed. Those feelings tie us up in knots. Anger can also come from loneliness. A sense of being invisible to the world often results in grand gestures for making oneself seen. Sometimes anger is a habit. One no longer realizes that his or her behaviors are aggressive or hurtful towards others.
Ultimately, the question is not about how to control those around you. The question today is, how do you respond to another person's anger, especially when it is directed at you? Do you react with more anger? Do you ignore the person and walk away? Do you show kindness? What if your response changed the course of someone's day, week, or even their life?
A prayer for our own strength in difficult times . . .
It is your world, O Lord, that is in pain. You are a compassionate God. You came to share your pains. Please give your people hope, courage, strength, and faith. Let us not be destroyed by the powers of evil which surround us, pervade us and often inhabit us. Drive from us these evil powers, and show us the way to you, who are Light, Life, Truth, Goodness, and, above all, Love. Amen.
~ Henri Nouwen from A Cry for Mercy
The Lord is gracious and merciful.
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