Anger

I would not consider myself an angry person, in fact it is rare that I get really angry. I do get frustrated or irritated at times, but rarely downright angry. I'm usually able to let things roll off fairly well, even if it takes me a minute or two. Tonight in all honesty I find myself angry. I'm not angry because I was hurt, but angry because a certain extended family member made a choice that has hurt my children deeply, and doesn't seem to care how much she hurt them. My oldest cried herself to sleep tonight, and I don't think she has ever done that. There is a "mama bear" that comes out in me when someone hurts my kids, and it is hard to hold back. There are so many things that I wanted to say, but I bit my tongue so that I wouldn't regret it later.

In my former life I was always told that being angry was a sin. You were to control your emotions at all costs. Simply put this is a LIE! The Bible never says not to get angry, it says be careful that you don't let that anger build into bitterness. Jesus himself got angry and threw down tables and kicked people out of the temple, but He didn't stay there. The very next verse talks about Him healing people. (see  Matthew 21:12-14)  If Jesus got angry surely it isn't a sin...it is what we choose to do with that anger that matters.

I'm not as angry now as I was even an hour ago, and I'm praying that God will allow His peace to reign in my heart. I'm praying that His mercies will be new in the morning (see Lamentations 3:22-23), and that I will be able to comfort my children and help them to also get past their hurt and possible anger.