Anger is ‘only’ a reaction – a secondary ‘emotion’ – but it can reveal what you worship.
Approval — If your god is approval, you will be angered by rejection.
Being Right — If your god is being right, you will be angered by disagreement.
Career — If your god is your career, you will be angered by setbacks.
Certainty — If your god is certainty, you will be angered by unanswered questions.
Children — If your god is your children, you will be angered when they disappoint you.
Comfort — If your god is comfort, you will be angered by inconvenience.
Control — If your god is control, you will be angered by change.
Image — If your god is your image, you will be angered by embarrassment.
Independence — If your god is independence, you will be angered by having to rely on others.
Ideology — If your god is ideology, you will be angered by evidence that challenges it.
Money — If your god is money, you will be angered by unexpected expense.
Plans — If your god is your own plans, you will be angered when they are frustrated.
Pleasure — If your god is pleasure, you will be angered by discipline.
Pleasure — If your god is pleasure, you will be angered by self-denial.
Politics — If your god is politics, you will be angered by inconvenient truths.
Possessions — If your god is possessions, you will be angered by loss.
Power — If your god is power, you will be angered by weakness or being overruled.
Pride — If your god is pride, you will be angered by correction.
Recognition — If your god is recognition, you will be angered when others receive the credit.
Reputation — If your god is reputation, you will be angered by criticism.
Rest — If your god is rest, you will be angered by hardship.
Schedule — If your god is your schedule, you will be angered by interruptions.
Security — If your god is security, you will be angered by uncertainty.
Success — If your god is success, you will be angered by failure.
Winning — If your god is winning, you will be angered by losing.
Our strongest reactions often reveal what we treasure most. Anger isn’t always sinful—Jesus was angry at injustice—but recurring, disproportionate anger can be a helpful indicator that something other than God is on the throne of our hearts.
If you surrender something to God, if you deal with the why, it can no longer anger you.
What does anger reveal about you?
And what are you going to do about it?
(I am not pointing fingers in this article, other than at myself. Dealing with issues that cause anger is never easy, often painful but always worth it. Let’s pray for each other as we journey, strive and are refined / transformed to be more like Him).
Lord, there are many things that anger me and I know they shouldn’t. You know my past, my hurts, my failures and inability to change on my own. ThankYou for Your sending Your Son while I was in this helpless state, I chose to turn to You now for forgiveness and for You to heal and change me as I turn away from the empty and impossible gods I have fostered.