Control Your Anger

​A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression. (Proverbs 19:12 NAS).

HIS comment of many years ago has stayed with me. This godly elder said that when he would pick up litter off his lawn it made him angry. Then he decided there was no point in being upset with people who are inconsiderate and careless. He realized that getting angry did no good to the litterers and that it might be doing him some harm.  So he resolved to change—he dropped his anger and picked up the trash.
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We are in charge of our attitudes. Otherwise, we would be enslaved to our emotions and be helpless victims of circumstances. God gave us the ability to monitor our own thinking, and evaluate our thoughts in light of His word, and change accordingly. We have the power to transform our attitude for the better whenever we choose. It isn’t easy, but with God’s help—and with practice—we can improve. Under Jesus’ patient mentoring, the apostles overcame their petty thinking and reactionary responses. They grew—and so can we!

What if, for example, we decide in advance that the next time a driver does something we don’t like, we will remain calm? No angry looks, no screamed insults, no fist-shaking or retaliation.  What if we decide to just keep driving?