Why is Everyone so Angry?
What’s driving this madness
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. (James 1:19–20, NIV)
My daughter is a crossing guard at an elementary school. Nice job, right? Well, the job has complications brought on by all the angry parents who do not want to wait while the children cross the street. Even though it’s for a good cause, the safety of children.
The atmosphere is charged.
My grandson told me that every day there is a fight that breaks out in his school. He said that the students yell and are disruptive during class. He said that his teacher spends the majority of classroom time with discipline. By the end of the day, the students are mad, the teacher is angry, and so is my grandson.
When an impatient driver nearly hits an elderly pedestrian in a Walmart parking lot and then yells at the older man for walking too slow, something is wrong. I watched as this happened to my husband.
Humanity seems in a rage these days.
We see outrage in politics, religion, meetings, grocery stores, highways, and, yes, even in churches. We hear of a shooting or stabbing in a school or a public place each year. People are quick to speak, impatient, rude, and cruel. Maybe it’s unfair to include everyone, but the consensus points out that most people are just plain mad and ready to fight, and honestly, it’s making me angry.
Social media, news media, and television are the worst fuel to rile up antagonism
The more provocative the subject, the more reaction and thus a bigger audience. The hot topics and conversation geared toward inciting fear and unrest fuel the fire. Society has a very short fuse; anything can set off an explosion with looting, killing, and crime. We live in a frantic society of ill-tempered, enraged, provoked, and exasperated people. It’s an epidemic of madness.
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? (James 4:1, NIV)
Anger is nothing new. It started in the book of Genesis when Cain killed his brother. The issue today is that society, as a whole, is angry, and I believe that outward actions come from an inward desire waging in the heart. The only way to quench the fire of anger is to admit it. The more we give power to our anger, the more we fan the flames.
I don’t have an easy solution to the problem. We like holding onto our anger, and prying loose our grip is brutal.
Admitting our problem can be our first step.
Jesus Christ teaches us to love God and love others. He did this while angry mobs were plotting to kill Him. He had every right to be angry, and at times He did get angry, but He never sinned.
Inviting Jesus into our life builds a good foundation, but even Christians are angry.
You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet, but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. (James 4:2, NIV)
It’s excellent to ask God for the yearnings of our hearts. However, are we willing to ask God to change our desires?
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. (Ephesians 4:31, NIV)
It might be good to question how we spend our time.
Maybe fewer media and more meditation? Less television and more prayer? We may take on the same attitudes if we constantly fill our minds with hot-headed political debates and hyped-up news stories.
Do we put others first?
Do we love others as much as we love ourselves? Perhaps we need to listen more and talk less. Are we ready to stir up conflict or more inclined to spread peace?
We might need to make new friends.
Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared. (Proverbs 22:24–25, NIV)
A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel. (Proverbs 15:18, NIV)
I know three things: There is a God who gives peace amid turmoil, a reasoning mind when angry, and forgiveness of sin by being impatient, unkind, judgemental, and rude. Anytime we allow anger to control us, we lose a part of ourselves to a god of hatred. It’s not fun or peaceful when anger makes us say and do things that cause us shame.
“In your anger, do not sin” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:26–27, NIV)
Sometimes we might need professional help.
When we find ourself angry most of the time, we need to get to the root of the problem. This is where a councilor, pastor, psychologist, or psychiatrist comes into play.
When we confess our sin to God, He will forgive us. He can douse the flames of pain raging our hearts.
Prayer
Please, Father God, Remove our anger. Control and fill us with peace that passes all understanding. Forgive us of our wicked ways. Through the name of Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen.
