They finally arrived on scene after what seemed a lengthy response time. Dax ran towards the front door and observed the mother coming at him with her baby girl in her arms, limbs dangling lifelessly. His heart rate blistered through his temples. The mother, sobbing and gasping, thrust her baby into his arms yelling, "Do something! Do something!".They worked furiously, ripping equipment out of the medical bag. Every piece seemed to take an eternity to set up. It was like fumbling around with numb, frozen hands in sub-zero temperatures. The mother rushed in, screaming, "Save her! Save her!". She threw herself at Dax, the momentum pushing him almost to the ground and started to flail wildly with closed fists, striking him multiple times across his back, arms, and neck. A bystander pulled her off of him and threw her to the ground, embracing her in restraint.Locked-up brakes, skidded the tires to a stop as her husband arrived. He sprinted into the scene, hyperventilating. Approaching the mother, he screamed, "What did you do? You killed my little girl!". With no time to respond, she was met by a crushing blow to the cheek by his huge right hand. Police officers quickly intervened; just then the paramedics arrived."This one's too far gone, guys. Lividity has already set in. We're calling it.", the ambulance supervisor said somberly.Dax slammed his fist onto the sidewalk and felt a lump blocking his windpipe. "Why, God? Why?".The next night after several drinks with the guys, he felt aggression still boiling inside. Speeding recklessly, he didn't care what happened. The sun was setting low on the horizon blinding him to the controlled intersection ahead. He blew through the red light, everything spun, and then went black. When light filtered back in, the world was quiet, but he was still spinning, denying the crushing pain, and unaware of how he managed to crawl out of his mangled truck. Through a blood-matted eye he recognized the blue minivan even though it rested on its top, front wheels still turning. There was no mistaking the white shoe polish his son and his friends had used to decorate this van they used as their Pee Wee baseball team's bus writing, "Having fun in 2001!" on the side window panel.We find that anger crops up for a number of reasons. If left unattended, it can lead to a roller coaster of mistakes and sins, contrary to God's purpose for why things happen around us. Someone violating our personal rights is an angering event. Some are simply not content with where they are in life. Some respond in anger to blocked goals; others get irritated by life's little nuances. It is also easy to be angry when our feelings are hurt or when we are misunderstood. Having unrealistic expectations of others can stir up anger. Sometimes anger results from an illness or emotional disorder. Whatever the situation, "in a life fully surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, these seven reasons for anger are opportunities to either become angry, or trust God with yet another area of our lives." (Morley)Although a righteous indignation, or a hatred of injustice, can have a positive result, our focus should be on avoiding anger since most anger develops from either selfishness or impatience. The next time we feel the surge of anger surfacing within us, we should ask ourselves "Am I being selfish or impatient?". If the answer is "no", we are on our way to living amongst the challenges, yet under control. If the answer is "yes", we should stop the current train of thought and pray through the situation. Since most anger usually turns into sin, we should try to discipline ourselves to gain control of our emotions so we can once again get rid of anything that may separate us from God.James 1: 19-20 says, "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." Also, controlling our anger is an integral part of God's defense system to protect us in spiritual warfare. Ephesians 4: 26-27 explains, "In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold."So let us respond to manage anger with a strong faith. Know the dangers of anger and strive to keep it in check. Overlook any offenses from others. Avoid spending an excessive amount of time with those that have a serious anger problem. Attack anger with a gentle toughness, not yielding to Satan's temptations, but determined not to allow anything to keep us from experiencing a close fellowship with God. To God be the glory.Next week: The Desire to Be Independent.
