“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

We’ve often not done a good job of bringing our anger to God. Henri Nouwen called it praying with clenched fists.

If we want to be the kind of people that want to journey from having an angry heart to having a peaceful heart, that everywhere we go we bring the temperature down and we’re a peaceful presence, we need to do three things:

– First, we need to be honest.

– Second, we need to submit to God.

– Third, we need to maintain good boundaries.

If you do those three things as a regular rhythm of your life, you will watch as your anger begins to dissipate.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I release my anger to you. I will strive to be honest in what I do and say. I submit my will to you. And, I will try my best to be aware of and act upon the boundaries I need to set with people who “push my buttons.” Amen.

REFLECTION: What is one boundary you need to set with someone?