Reactive Life

Short-tempered people do foolish things, and schemers are hated. – Proverbs 14:17

Are you easily angered? Does any minor infraction set you off? What do you do when service isn’t what you expect, or someone makes a mistake, or what you hoped for doesn’t happen? These things are part of life—for everyone. The world isn’t out to get you, and things don’t always go wrong for you, but such beliefs perpetuate the
problem. If you recognize that frustrations and annoyances set you off disproportionately, you might be described as short-tempered. And likely the people around you feel like they walk on eggshells hoping not to feel your wrath.

Anger is a natural response to things that are wrong or that go wrong. But if everything is a trip wire to your landmine of fury, your anger is out of control. There are ways to handle the frustrations of life, and the first is to accept that not everything will go the way you planned or hoped. That isn’t to say you must live in a state of defeat or pessimism. It means that when things go wrong, you need a way to deal with the strong feelings you experience.

Taking a breath before you react, counting to 10, and allowing some time and space before you respond are all ways to begin to control your reactivity. You don’t have to attend every fight to which you are invited. Developing a peaceful nature takes time and deliberate focus. Learning how to respond in a healthy way to situations that anger you means uncovering and addressing the root issue that triggers your anger. By doing so, you will no longer be a ticking time bomb.

I came to realize that if people could make me angry, they could control me. Why should I give someone else such power over my life? – Dr. Ben Carson

When angry, count ten before you speak; if very angry, a hundred. – Thomas Jefferson

The one who cannot restrain their anger will wish undone, what their temper and irritation prompted them to do. – Horace

TODAY’S PRAYER
Lord, when my quick reaction is less than what you desire from me, please help. Show me how to correct my responses and lead me to live in a way that reflects you. Forgive me for being unkind and rude and help me as I release my need to have everything work the way I think it needs to. I ask for your help in all of these things. Amen.

Taken from 100 Days to Freedom from Anger copyright © 2021 by Stephen Arterburn and Becky Brown. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.