Fear, Anger, and Love
Fear, Anger, and Love
Are your last nerves completely mashed? Has negativity worn you down? Welcome to 2021. This year is already making 2020 look like an undercard to the main event. What’s the fight about this week? Masks? Vaccinations? Stimulus checks? Or is it immigration? Travel restriction? Resuming school? Domestic violence is up. Public conflict and protests are at an all time high. Suicide and depression run rampant. Loneliness is as epic a pandemic as the COVID-19 virus itself. We are barely past Mardi Gras and already the conflicting information, media misinformation and political infighting is enough to send you into the ring poised to pulverize your opponent. The strong bias in the media today validates widespread discontent and by continuously focusing on it, exacerbates it.
Why should you even try to sort your feelings out? This too shall pass – better days ahead – hang in there until fillintheblank happens – ad nauseum, infinitum, blah etc. Meh. But there is an ominous consequence to suppressing or ignoring emotions. Nuisance becomes annoyance becomes irritation becomes discomfort becomes pain becomes fear becomes anger. The most frightening form of unchecked frustration is rage. Frustration has reason. Frustration can be restrained. Rage on the other hand is uncontrolled and frenzied. It can’t be bargained with and rage is contagious. Do a little research on herd mentality and read about how social influence morphs into group behaviors. Wikipedia: “people can be influenced by their peers to adopt certain behaviors on a largely emotional, rather than rational, basis.” The attitude of the day is sarcasm, cynicism, discontent, and unrest.
But aren’t these just reactions to the difficult circumstances and events of the time? Aren’t we capable of controlling HOW we react? Maybe the answer lies in why we are choosing the negative and what it is that motivates the choice. Pastor John Garrett preached a message more than once about the basic emotions of fear, anger, and love. Using the perspective of action, he illustrated that fear retreats, anger repels, and love draws. Looking at our personal behaviors in this way can help clarify our emotional motivation. Are you running away or hiding your head in the sand from the difficulties you face? Examine your life and unearth your fear. Are you seething internally and lashing out in your responses to others? Again, look for what is specifically making you angry. Once you can pinpoint the source of the provocation you can at least eliminate the general feeling of unhappiness that comes from ignorance. You may find that you aren’t really afraid of anything or really mad at anybody. You might just be guilty of filling your headspace with the negative influence of your people, your work environment and social or news media.
If you still come away from your personal assessment with a legit fear or a pervasive anger, there is a solution to be found in Pastor John’s message about love. When we choose to love our neighbor like God loves us (Matthew 22:39) fear fades and anger melts. When we love, we no longer have reason to be afraid of anything people or circumstances can inflict on us. God has a plan for each of our lives that affords the best possible outcome for ALL of us. When we trust that He is in control and that ultimately no person or event can change the eternal course of our destiny, there is nothing left to frighten us.
Anger over anything other than outrage at injustice (righteous anger that leads to restoring people to loving, healing relationships with Jesus) is futile. Examined meticulously, the root of anger is most likely found in the soil of pride – because somebody, somewhere done us wrong – and when that is our motivation we are of no use, whatsoever, to the kingdom of God. Dignity, vanity, and self-worth have no value in the battle for the life of an unbeliever, or in our Christian relationships. Anger literally repels and if we are unapproachable, fortified within our strongholds of indignation and rage, our testimony (our only personal tool to shine the light of Jesus to others) is powerless. We become lights under bushels and salt with no flavor. To think that outside influence can lead us to such utter uselessness SHOULD make us angry at ourselves for being so easily distracted. Maybe we ought to be asking for forgiveness for our anger instead of deliverance from it…
Thankfully, God is always exactly where we left Him, and I am glad I don’t imagine Him drumming His fingers on the arm of His throne while He waits. Be comforted by the words of Jesus Christ “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27
Click off the television. Shut down the phone. Disconnect the computer. Spend some quiet time talking to God. The fear retreats and the anger dissipates and only the love remains. Peace be with you.
