This Is Not For Dummies (Part 3)

This Is Not For Dummies (Part 3)

Deceptive Anger

Anger is often disguised by other names and feelings. When we say, “I’m tired.” “You give me a headache.” Or “My aching back”, “I’m fed up.” Or many other figures of speech we are masking anger. Sometimes we can be very sweet while the poison of anger is eating away inside. We need to identify it as anger and deal with it. Some people will say, “Oh, I have dealt with that problem” as if they will never have to deal with it again.

If what has been done to us is OK we just need to accept it. BUT if it is not OK the only thing that can remove the sting is the Act of Forgiveness. While ignorance of the law is no excuse, it is a very good reason to forgive. Ignorance can not make something OK but forgiveness can help in healing the hurt.

The reason we can rarely say we have dealt with it is because we need to forgive “once and for all” over and over. Like dieting you must decide once and for all and then, at every temptation, make the decision again. We can forgive once but the next time that “Memory” brings up the incident we must choose to forgive again.

Thought Control

Anger is not stored! Memories are!
This we have known for a long time. Memories cause pain and pain produces anger.
For many years we taught our youth to “Manage Memory”. We called it memorization. We memorized the words (which are the thoughts) of great men like Lincoln, Franklin and Patrick Henry. We even learned “by heart” the Bible. NOT SO TODAY.

Since we no longer learn how to control memory we are now controlled by those memories. We feel (or believe) that memories are beyond our control. That may be with Alzheimer but not for any healthy person. We (consciously or unconsciously) decide what we want to remember.

If we do not control our memories, our Memories will control us.

Take dieting for instance. It is the memory of what the food seemed to do for us that makes us want to eat. Not the necessity of the body. It is the memory of an addiction that drives the addict. To some, they have never memorized more than a phone number or show tune.

It is probably the best reason for seeing something new every morning such as God’s Grace to us. Looking for these and remembering them will not allow us to dwell on the hurts of the past. We cannot hold two thoughts at one time regardless of what those who “Multitask” tell us. Thinking God’s thoughts after Him will blunt the force of other thoughts even when they come.

We cannot stop our Memories but we can use them so that they do not abuse us.

Here I think of the defensive player in football. He would like to stop the incoming player but is not as strong as he. The player must learn to use the strength of the incoming opponent to steer him away from the quarterback. When those memories are too strong for us we can use the strength of memories to our advantage. Like the computer some memories are so deep that they cannot be totally erased BUT we can write over them. Keep up the memory work.

Choose to
1. Remember the Good and not the Bad.
2. Remember the Right and not the Wrong.
3. Remember Forgiveness and not Fairness.

How does one create a reservoir of good thoughts?
The Bible tells us how. In Philippians 4: 8 & 9 “Finally, brothers,
Whatever is true,
Whatever is noble,
Whatever is right,
Whatever is pure,
Whatever is lovely,
Whatever is Admirable—if anything is Excellent or Praiseworthy
think about such things.

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me,
or seen in me—
put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

“Thinking on these things” will bring the past into the present and “over-write” the deep set memories. Thus the latest thoughts will slowly overcome the more comfortable angry thoughts of the past. Try it. It does work. Choosing someone who seems to show control over Anger to emulate will also help you to put into practice the above thoughts that control. -- Dr. George VanSandt is a Christian Counselor and friend of America's KESWICK

God's WORD for YOU: Proverbs 28; Judges 4-6; Luke 4:31-44

Great Quote: The more intimate our relationship with Christ, the more we will understand the will of God and the more power we will have to act on it. Anonymous