| 1:16 MIN READ |

Emotions, everyone has them. Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to manage them.

An emotion is a feeling based on a way of thinking. Contrary to what most people perceive, your emotions aren’t random, nor are they always accurate. They are children of the way you think. Negative thinking births negative feelings. The opposite is also true.

To manage your emotions, you must manage your mind. One of the most dangerous feelings is anger. Look at Solomon’s words describing the impact of anger in Ecclesiastes 7:9 (NIV) “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit; for anger resides in the lap of fools.” The Message paraphrase reads this way, “Don’t be quick to fly off the handle. Anger boomerangs. You can spot a fool by the lumps on his head.”

It doesn’t get much clearer than this! Angry emotional reactions are almost always destructive. When we’re quickly provoked, things are said and done that create pain, and cause more problems; sometimes long-lasting problems. The answer? Take control of angry thoughts before they become angry words and reactions. Slow down. Be quiet. Take a deep breath. Think. Put things into proper perspective. Pray. Then, and only then, are you ready to respond.

Don’t let anger get the best of you!

Pastor Dale

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