Anger!

"So Cain was very angry, and his face was down-cast" (Genesis 4:5 NIV); "For man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires" (James 1:20 NIV).

Anger is a mental, emotional and spiritual health problem! I went through a period in my life when I was very unhealthy. Then a friend told me her formula for dealing with anger. I started using it and found that it really does work. She said she would picture Jesus standing between her and the other person, and this would help remind her that Jesus was literally covering that person for her; that she didn't need to worry about the other person's attitude, only her own. I'll be forever grateful to her for her insight.

I love the old writers and I have several Bible commentaries that contain the wisdom of the ages. I found this gem in the Biblical Illustrator on Romans 12: 
"I remark, then, that a man is overcome of evil" --
1. When ill-treatment excites the angry passions, and produces harsh and ill-natured language...
2. One is still more completely overcome of evil, when he settles down into confirmed hatred of the offender. By suffering anger to rest in his bosom, he becomes in God's esteem a fool...
3. One is overcome of evil when he indulges in designs of revenge...
4. We are overcome of evil when the ill-treatment of one leads us to suspect the friendship of others...
5. We are more yet completely overcome of evil when abuse begets habitual sourness of temper.
6. One is overcome of evil when he attempts unnecessarily a public vindication of his character. I say unnecessarily, for it cannot be denied that a good man, without his wish, may be forced into such a measure. Often this is the very object which some malicious foe would accomplish" (D.A. Clark).

Father, may we have the spirit of Jesus who, "when they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered he made no threats" (1 Peter 2:23 NIV). Thank You for changing our bad attitudes and for being our Go-between!