For the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God.

James 1:20

National Kick an Object Day. I bet you didn’t know this day even existed. I didn’t until recently. An eight-year-old boy, I have the pleasure of working with, got angry because I said “No” to something he wanted. He ran away from where we were standing and ran straight to a small book case and kicked the side. Then he turned to see what I was going to do. I asked him to have a seat at the table so we could talk later. He sat, but he also started yelling at me and one thing he yelled was, “well, didn’t you know that it’s National Kick an Object Day?”

When he calmed down, he explained that you kick an object to keep from kicking a person. I am pretty sure I was the intended person. “No” has a way of bringing out anger in this boy and sadly, that word does the same to me. I can honestly say I have never kicked someone or even an object that I can remember. I do remember, though, how strangely satisfied I felt one day after taking a set of plates out to an open field and smashing them into the rocks. Not that much fun to clean up, however.

I haven’t felt the kind of anger that drove me to break a set of plates in a very long time. Until recently, I feel a lot of anger. Some directed at myself and some at God. He didn’t heal me like I believed He would. I know, I sound as petulant as that boy who kicked the book shelf. I am not proud of this, just saying.

The New Living Translation says the verse this way, “your anger can never make things right in God’s sight.”  No matter how many plates I broke, or how many times my little friend kicked an object, our circumstances would have remained the same.  No is still no until it becomes yes. And patience, I have been told, is a virtue.  I can’t go around claiming National Kick an Object Day every time I don’t get my way without disappointing my own soul and grieving the Holy Spirit of God who lives in me.

So, Father God, help me to refrain from acting out in anger. Help me to be willing to go through this trial with an open mind and a willing heart to what you want to teach me through this. Help me to be a place where Your Spirit is pleased to dwell, a place of peace and humility and willingness to trust You when I don’t see the answers I want or think I need. I need Your grace for these things, because we both know, I don’t like the word “no” any better than my eight-year-old friend. Forgive me I pray, Jesus’ name, amen.

I would love to hear from you. Please let me know if I can be praying for you as well.

pic credit: supernanny.co.uk