Wednesday, November 3

what's the phrase about biting the hand that feeds you?

i've been thinking a lot about anger these past two weeks. i've had many people tell me that it's okay to be angry, to express my anger, to yell and scream when i need to... God can handle it. and i know i've said the same thing to many people before. and what we mean when we say this is, "don't bottle your anger." or "it's not a sin to be angry." or "be willing to go deep into all your emotions." or other things like that.

but anger is really a secondary emotion. it's a productive emotion... it gives you a sense of control and power, and it is normally directed outwards at God or others. but when you get down to it, anger is really just being hurt. and it's not any fun to just sit inside "hurt-ness" and be vulnerable... it's much easier to be angry.

when my brother christopher died, i was so hurt by God that i threw myself into anger and bitterness... i was the embodiment of rage, just waiting to tip over on some poor, unsuspecting person.

i don't want to be that again. as much as it hurts to just feel hurt, i don't want to be engulfed by anger. i'm still asking God "why", and telling Him how much i feel hurt by him. and maybe some day i might need to yell at him, but right now He's the only one who can comfort my soul completely... he also injured my soul, but "he disciplines those he loves." (or wounds, in this case.)

2 comments:

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  2. so i deleted my last post cause it was actually me who wrote it, not tim, and i thought it would be rather weird if it said Tim, so this is what I, Mandi, said:

    hmm, this is a really insightful post, Erin. I have been so angry lately, but i know that anger has been the clothes my pain wears - not that actual body of my wound. hmm, does that make sense? (as a side note, do you ever try to write something profound and then stand back and read it over, only to laugh at how absurd it sounds? yeah, that last one might be one of those instances :)
    anyway, thanks for writing. i'll be thinking on that as i go to bed tonight.

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