The story of the Jaredites is a sad story and brings to heart how easy it is for a people to become so hardened in their hearts and so full of Satan’s power that they do, indeed, become “drunken with anger, even as a man who is drunken with wine.” I think of the terrorists today, and see the same behavior. They are so totally out-of-control angry.
I've really debated mentioning anything on this blog about this. Not that the general nature of my comments aren't okay, just that I risk hurting feelings of people I love. That is anything but my intent. But as I read this scripture this morning, I feel even more compelled to do what I can to help where I can. And to raise my own voice of warning: People, we cannot afford to allow anger to enter our hearts and overtake our lives!
Is there ever a time for anger? I think on rare occasions we have a right to become angry when people are doing bad things to other people, or desecrating sacred things, or threatening to take away our own freedoms or harm us. Then we need to rise up and use our anger to resolve the conflict. But never out of control, and always with the Spirit of the Lord, for even Jesus became angry at the people who were desecrating the temple. He didn’t just say “Oh my, tut, tut, tut.”
But out of control anger, drunken anger, that is the anger that is destructive. It is destructive behavior for the person who exhibits it and it is destructive behavior for everyone around him or her. We absolutely need to control our emotions. Anger destroys families, it destroys children, it tears apart entire societies, it is the tool of the devil, without question.
How to overcome anger is another matter. I am not sure what the answer is. I have given it much thought lately and don't think there's a pat answer about how to overcome it. These are just some ideas I've thought of, but if anyone has any other suggestions that they've found have helped them in their lives, please let me know. I wish I could solve everyone's problems. I can't. (And really, I'm glad I can't. I struggle with my own enough I should never wish to solve others.) But is there anything I can do as someone who cares very much about what's going on, even if as an 'outsider?'
The first step, as in all things, is for the person with the problem to recognize it. To own it. My guess is, as with all things, the person who knows the most about what's going on is the person with the problem. But maybe more than just owning it and recognizing it as a problem, it's being willing to confess they have a problem, willing to vocalize and admit they aren't perfect. Too often it's easiest to blame our behavior on everything except a weakness inside of us. But one thing I'm learning with the wisdom that comes with many years, is that I have weaknesses, and so does everyone else. We all are dealing with our own demons, so these steps really are for everyone.
Once the person owns the fact that there is behavior that needs to be changed, he or she needs to repent. To go to the Lord and confess. And to go to people who have been hurt by the behavior and make restitution, to sincerely ask for forgiveness from them. In some circumstances, that may require going to the Bishop as well, and confessing, especially if the behavior has become so destructive that it has hurt others, emotionally and/or physically.
The next step is to go to the Lord for help in overcoming it. Anger is like all bad habits, and a person can harbor it and go on through life without correcting it, and just allow Satan to continue taking over their lives or they can go to the Lord for help. He will direct that person in their own situation and He will help them find solutions, whether in goal setting and achieving, or in professional counseling to help address their particular weakness.
The final and most important step is to work diligently to find the love of Christ to harbor inside the heart. That can be found in personal prayer, scripture study, temple worship, meeting attendance, and always caring and loving service to others. By giving our lives to Christ, we can overcome all things. It is not easy. Never is. But it can be done. In time the anger will be replaced by love. And Christ's atonement will have power far greater than any other power in the world in helping to create that love in the heart.
4 comments:
I LOVED this. Thanks for the wisdom.
You are so right, we all have our demons to overcome. Anger is not generally one of mine, but I went through a phase where I was angry and it came from being hurt. I think the best way to overcome anger is to forgive, because usually there is a someone on the other end of that anger. Anger makes me sad because it tears up the person who is angry (and sometimes others when they act out on the anger), but does nothing to resolve the issue they are angry about. I thought you gave a lot of sound advice about how to use the atonement to overcome anger, or whatever other demons we may be called to face in this life.
wow... very true. It is a difficult weakness to overcome. And when does "being hurt" justify "being angry"... or does it ever? I struggle with this with my thoughts/feelings about my family all the time. Thanks for sharing.
Wonderfully said!
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