Yesterday, I learned a valuable lesson. A lesson from someone displaying an undue amount of hostility and anger.
I learned…holding anger, for any amount of time, is a like a time bomb waiting to explode. And when it does, like the after math of a bomb, it spills its dirty spray on the recipient, those witnessing it and those trying to prevent it. Once anger gets to the explosion point, there is no turning back. And once anger rears its ugly head, a person is inclined to do unthinkable things.
Yesterday, I was the recipient. Not only was I the recipient but the angry one’s actions trickled down to affect my son, her daughter and the rest of my family.
I learned…allowing anger to grow into revenge ruins not only health but also relationships. It makes a self proclaimed Christian person look like Satan. It turns responsibility into blame, love into hate and a joy into tears.
Yesterday, I will never forget…the angry person, the situation, what I saw, what others witnessed and told me and the tears of two young adults.
But I learned…anger is a murderer of the spirit, of the soul and of the faithful. And the angry are so inflamed they are not even aware of how lost they have become. For they are afire with revenge, with getting back, with frustration, with having no control, with fear, and with amnesia of who they used to be.
Yesterday, I was hit hard, verbally and almost physically. Yet at the end of the day, in the anger directed toward me, I saw myself. A revealing of moments when I too had been possessed by anger, losing myself in the false believe revenge claimed that I was righteous in my feelings. And at that moment, forgiveness flooded my soul, not only for the one who came after me but also for all the times I held anger and did not want to let it go. I also asked forgiveness for all the times my anger inflicted sorrow on someone else.
Whether or not Jesus knew of His fate, even if He was angry about it, not once did He seek revenge. Even in His last moments on the cross, He died with forgiveness overflowing from His wounds.
Obviously, the angry one has a lot of wounds that are still being worked out. Wounds that are still bleeding. Wounds that are not ready to heal. Today, I pray for her, my son and her daughter. I have been told this is not the first time, anger has erupted. And I have not been the only recipient of it.
The lesson? Life is way too short to hold grudges. And forgiveness is the only way revenge’s destruction can be wiped away. Jesus’ battered body on the cross began the path…now it is our turn to walk the walk and continue the journey His sacrifice was all about.
Blessings,
Annie
God bless you for choosing forgiveness.