Angry. It’s how I could be described as of late. I’ve been here before though. I always get through it. As we all do.
What am I going to do with this anger though? Will I let it stew and overflow into everyday life? Or will I conquer and dominate the anger?
See, I could let the anger conquer me. I could be the one who is destroyed. Or I could be the victor. I know God gets angry. I know when God gets angry He moves. He does something about it.
What will I do about my anger? What will I do with my anger? Will I let the anger flood my senses until I have made mistakes? I would much rather focus on the reason why I am angry and use my anger and concentrate it like a juice! Yeah, a juice of energy in action. Like action energy juice!
See my anger is a result of things around me. Things I pretend I can’t change because it’s easier that way. I’m angry with people and I don’t confront them. I’m angry with myself and I don’t correct me. I’m angry with systems that put people after profit. I’m angry at a church building filled with apathetic people who are far too comfortable missing the point. I’m angry with God because he’s got the best hiding places in the whole universe and he effs with my life far too often.
I could, perhaps, maybe, and other ‘perhaps’ synonyms, DO something. Instead of ranting and grumbling and crying and shouting I could do something useful. See I’ve taken a few tips from the world around me and I’ve squelched my anger for the sake of remaining un-offensive. I’ve chosen to extend a cheap “grace” more times than not. I’ve walked away to avoid conflict.
Maybe offending someone isn’t so bad. Maybe scripture is true when it says faithful are the wounds of a friend. Maybe I need to kick my own ass because maybe just maybe, I’m as fickle as the Word says I am and perhaps there’s a slight chance that my own trail blazed will lead to destruction. It could even be that the systems responsible for the physical turmoil of so many are the powers and principalities we are told to fight and war against. There is a chance the hesitant sheep need to be barked at before move. And maybe God is waiting for me to chase him down and wrestle with him like a little kid wrestles his dad. Scratch that, God definitely wants me to chase him down and wrestle him.
Enough about me, let’s talk about you. I know you know I’m still talking to myself here but disguising it as an exhortation to you the reader.
I want you to look around and find something that makes you angry. Find a single mom who is walking to the food bank for peanut butter. Find an immigrant who is treated like garbage because how they look or smell or speak. Find the person you never noticed in church before. Find the people your city ignores.
Now do something. Do anything. Get angry. Take action. Make a fuss. Put up a fight. In fighting against the simplest of injustices, we will find God. In choosing to side with the minority, we will find God. In stepping out of the light and into the darkness, we will find God.
God is angry. He will spit the lukewarm from his mouth. He will dismiss the goats. He will burn the chaff.
Be angry with Him. Be angry at Him. Be angry for Him. Now do something.
This is not a poem. It’s just a poorly written essay about anger.
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