If you’re like most people, you’re probably not real happy with what’s happening on the political scene. I want to share with you something you can quietly do to make a difference—something different than what you might suspect.
Disclaimer: This post might make you angry. It might make you angry at me. That’s not my intention, but it might happen.
Anger is everywhere, it seems. With our eyes glued to our screens and our ears plugged into our devices, what do we see and hear? Protesters and counter protesters screaming at one another, with these demonstrations sometimes bubbling over into violence—a thinly disguised rehearsal for civil war. We are told again and again that the enemy (that is, the political party you vote against) is responsible for one injustice after another, that the enemy must be stopped at all costs or the world as we know it will end.
You and I have been so conditioned to anger by our culture that it’s hard to imagine that there could be an alternative.
And it’s hard to stop and figure out what game they’re really playing.
Do you know who loves it when you and I are angry?
The media loves it. Our anger brings us back to the screen for more. It translates into views, ratings, and money. It fuels a nationwide addiction to their brand of journalism. It puts money into the pockets of journalists and commentators. The more angry they can get us, the happier and wealthier they become.
Politicians love it. Our anger translates into votes. Many politicians love power, and they will happily surf the tide of our anger into greater and greater power.
If we let them.
Without anger, there would be no Hitler, no Stalin, no Mao. They needed the anger of ordinary people like you and me to work their way into power. The more the anger, the happier a tyrant will be.
“But, Dwight,” I hear you say, “what about the injustices in our world?”
Yep. You’re right. There are injustices. Glaring injustices. And most of them, you and I don’t even know about because they don’t fit the narrative of the people who are trying to control how we think and how we vote.
And do you know who is angry about all these injustices?
God Himself.
“But Dwight,” I hear you say, “if God is angry, shouldn’t we be angry too?”
Not exactly. And this is where we stumble.
Again and again, the Bible warns us not to take our unfiltered human anger out into our world and attempt to do something good with it. It won’t work. It will backfire. It will create more problems than it will solve.
Here are a few examples:
“Do not fret because of those who are evil… Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.” Psalm 37:1a,8 NIV
“Mockers stir up a city, but the wise turn away anger.” Proverbs 29:8 NIV
“‘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.” Ephesians 4:26-27 NIV
“I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.” 1 Timothy 2:8 NIV
“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” James 1:19b-20 NIV
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” Romans 12:14 NIV
“For as churning cream produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife.” Proverbs 30:33 NIV
“Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:9 NIV
“[Love] is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” 1 Corinthians 13:5 NIV
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger…” Ephesians 4:31a NIV
So what do we do? We’re confronted with injustice. The only possible human response is anger. What do we do?
Take that anger to God. Let Him turn it into something useful.
Let me show you how:
“God, I’m angry because…” [and fill in the blank]
Pour it all out.
Then: What do You want me to know.
And wait.
What you’re waiting for is two things: peace and clarity. When you’re finished doing business with God, you will walk away with inner peace. If you don’t have that inner peace, you’re not ready to do anything. Once you have it, God will also give you a clear idea of what He wants you to do. Maybe God wants you to volunteer. Maybe God wants you to start a ministry or a movement. Maybe God wants you to pray or to give money to a person or an organization. Maybe He wants you to do exactly nothing; just rest in the assurance that God has seen what you’ve seen, He knows what to do, and, at the right time, He will do it.
To be fair, I have my moments. There are times when I get angry too, and I need to do exactly what I’ve prescribed here.
I urge you to join me: Don’t be a pawn in their game. Let’s bring our anger to God.
When we do, we position ourselves to make the maximum difference for good.
This post is also available as a video.
Have a fantastic day!
Dwight
