Mad Men
If you hear a news story where a person shot at someone’s car in traffic or pulled over and a brawl began, we know to call that “road rage.” We also know when we hear those stories, that whatever happened didn’t start there. The fuse was actually lit last week, last month, or even last year. People don’t really snap over someone cutting them off in traffic; that was just the last straw in a string of events.
I want to introduce a new term that I believe we see every day on the news. Let’s call it “life rage.” It happens when people snap. They are enraged by life’s circumstances. Situations that occurred where they were—or felt—violated, abused, shamed, taken advantage of, mistreated, or molested.
Now, anger is an emotion that we even see Jesus feel and express, but as with any emotion, for us it can get out of hand and become sin. It can also escalate into life rage. And when a victim keeps being a victim, all too often they become perpetrators themselves. The old adage: hurt people hurt people.
I’ll bet if you talk to many of those who have encountered life rage and hurt others in some way, they would tell you that was never their intention. It wasn’t planned. But unattended, the wound deepened and infected the heart.
We all know that one of the primary ways that men get into trouble is anger and temper. The blood boils a little too high one day, self-control is lost, actions snap, and someone is hurt.
Today, you know if you have an anger issue. No one has to confront you about it. You know it. You feel it. You sense it. It rises up in you. Sometimes you hide it. Sometimes you suppress it. And sometimes you let it fly.
Life rage, like road rage, isn’t random—it always has a root and a reason.
If you suffer from life rage, whether it’s a 2 or a 10, get with someone you trust to figure out the root and the reason of why it’s in you. End the tyranny of uncontrolled anger in your heart. Face it. Deal with it. Before someone you love has to.
If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day. Don’t give the Devil a chance. —Ephesians 4:26-27 GNT
3 comments
Frankie Rainey July 25, 2013
You nailed it again, Robert!
Robert Wright August 5, 2013
Great stuff Robert. It is amazing how we will use the anger to fuel us instead of taking time to pray and turn this hurt over to the only one that can truly "resolve it" and teach us how to handle such situations in the future...our Awesome God!
Robert Noland August 5, 2013
Amen. Thanks so much, Robert.