Who Sits on the Front Porch of the House of Anger?

I think it’s time we had a little chat. 

I want to talk with you about your attitude.

I am aware that things did not work out exactly as you had planned. I know that you had your hopes up but you were disappointed. I understand that it was really important to you, but that folks just don’t seem to care.

I am really sorry that things did not go your way. The frustration is real. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as ‘undo’ or ‘redo.’

You may not feel that it is a good time to say this, but I want you to know that I care enough to take the risk. 
You really need to work on your attitude.

When things go sideways and plans are frustrated, WE (humans) usually get frustrated. When life is going OK, but people interrupt our lives and mess things up, WE get frustrated.

Do you know what happens when most people get frustrated?

I’ll bet you do; you’ve seen it. I’ll bet you’ve felt it. Frustration sits on the front porch of the house of anger. The door is wide open and frustration waits (not too long) to see if things will take a quick turn for the better (i.e. the way you want things to go). More often than not, frustration bolts right through the door: Anger.

A lot of times when people do not get their way, they skip the moment of frustration and pitch a fit. That’s the way we talked about it when I was a kid: Pitching a fit or throwing a fit. More accurately it is displaying a fit of anger.

If anger were not so serious, it would be amusing to see how many different words or phrases people use to mask the reality of anger.

• “I’m really upset.”
• “I can’t tell you how frustrating that is.”
• “You are really aggravating me.”

We like our slang terms too:

• “He’s hot under the collar.”
• “She was on fire when she found out.”
• “That really ticked him off.”

We even mask anger when we advise:

• “You just need to blow off some steam.”
• “Why don’t you vent your frustration.”

You may be thinking: "The Bible says, 'Be angry and do not sin.' Doesn’t that mean that it is possible for a person to become angry and yet not sin?"

“Yes, it does,” and “yes, that is correct.”

Why is it that so many people quote that verse to say that it is not wrong to be angry; to justify anger? Take a look at the entire verse:

Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.
—Ephesians 4:26-27 (NASB95)

Perhaps another verse will help to put things into perspective:

But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
 —James 1:19-20 (NASB95)

Anger does not possess the quality of being good. An angry person is never confused with a good person. Paul did not write to Christians in order to justify their anger. Jesus came to deal with sin, not justify anger and give the devil opportunity.

God does not want you to be angry. 

It is really that simple.

When you are angry, even when you deal with it properly, you are still not achieving the righteousness of God.

Frustration sits on the front porch of the house of anger. Don't let your emotions rule over you. Don’t allow your frustration to walk in the door; get off the porch. 

Place value on God’s righteousness, not your way.

Mark Stinnett