New Year’s Resolution?
As the calendar turns to a New Year, it’s a natural time to resolve to start over, to make changes that need to be made, hence, the ritual of New Year’s resolutions. Commitments to improve health by exercise or weight loss are probably the most popular resolutions, but if you have come to this site, you’ve probably considered making a commitment to control your anger better.
But then again, it may seem frightening to commit to such, because past efforts at anger management have always failed. If that describes you—or if you’ve never tried to overcome anger before—I have a couple of words of advice.
Quit trying to not be angry. That’s negative thinking and it doesn’t work anyway. This isn’t permission to let it all out. You still need to hold in angry words and actions. However, instead of focusing on not being angry, commit yourself to love those around you. Learn to love.
Love is:
- Patient
- Kind
- Not Jealous
- Does Not Brag
- Not Jealous
- Doesn’t seek its own way or advantage
- Not provoked
- Doesn’t keep track of wrongs suffered
- Doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth
- Bears all things
- Believes all things
- Hopes all things
- Endures all things
- Love Never fails (From 1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
If you can learn to relate to others with these character qualities, you won’t have a problem with anger.
Second, realize that this type of love is too hard for you—and ask God to love through you. As long as you try hard to walk in love, you’ll keep having to try hard to make it happen. However, if you cry out to God to love through you and to fill your heart with love, He will transform your heart. It’ll probably be a slow process, so pray the prayer every morning and throughout the day. God is love. If He lives in your heart, His love resides in your heart too. As you surrender to Him, His love will grow. As love increases, anger will decrease.
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