We don’t have to resign ourselves to anger
As we accept, with childlike trust, the loving ideas God gives us moment by moment, we can overcome feelings of anger.
It is sometimes said that generals always fight the last war. Are we sometimes fighting our last war? That is, are we using the template of past experiences to determine our present course of action?
This can be particularly unwise when our previous approach wasn’t constructive. For example, in the past we might have frequently reacted angrily to suspected injustices in our lives.
However, like Christ Jesus’ disciple Peter, we can learn to sheathe our swords of anger and retribution. He learned to do this after “a multitude,” including the servant of the high priest, came to take Jesus away to face the injustice of crucifixion. Peter reacted by cutting off the right ear of the high priest’s servant. But Jesus told him to put away his sword, and healed the man’s ear (see Luke 22:47-51).
At another time, Jesus revealed the spiritual strategy for our warfare with evil of every sort, including anger. He said, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
So while feeling anger toward someone acting unjustly might seem like a logical reaction, we can instead learn to love as Jesus did. We can pray to know our oneness with God, the divine Mind. We can pray to understand the situation we are facing, however aggravating it may seem, from God’s loving perspective, knowing that divine Love does not cause or allow us to be subject to injustice. We can pray to have compassion for others and strive to see even those who seem unjust as God sees them, as His precious and wholly spiritual children. And we can forgive.
We always have a choice in how we respond to injustice. We react angrily when we feel that an unjust situation is a reality over which we have no control, but in truth God is in control. As we are willing to let Christ, God’s spiritual idea, change how we see the situation, replacing a perspective of personal emotions with the spiritual view of God’s loving control over all, we will respond in a loving, constructive manner.
It is said that we can’t do the same thing over and over and expect different results. So instead of learning to live with unpleasant character traits, we can increasingly learn to live like Jesus, on the summit of inspiration. Like him, we can turn moment by moment to God, who always reveals fresh ways of approaching the challenges of life.
In “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” Mary Baker Eddy writes, “Willingness to become as a little child and to leave the old for the new, renders thought receptive of the advanced idea” (pp. 323-324). Young children often see situations with fresh eyes. We can be childlike in this way by letting go of preconceived notions or outworn patterns of thought to let in the inspiration of God’s love and wisdom.
I’ve found that studying the Bible and Science and Health shines a light on my thinking and helps me identify and eradicate old ways of thinking and acting that would limit my present success in life. My study and inspired practice of Christian Science has led to much personal progress and growth.
For example, I was raised in a family that at one time expressed a great deal of anger and frustration, which made me question my worth. In reaction to the injustice of my parents’ frequent angry outbursts, I carried anger within myself too, and frequently expressed anger at other perceived injustices.
Through the study of Christian Science, however, I learned over time that we are made in the perfect image and likeness of God, completely worthy and whole. God loves each of us so much that we’re always clothed with the protective armor of divine Love.
As I felt my own worth more deeply, I recognized that it was my responsibility to align my thought moment by moment with divine Love. Instead of feeling angered by others’ lack of respect for me. I realized that as God’s perfect reflection, I could only feel and express what God feels and expresses. This understanding helped me replace feelings of anger and frustration with forgiveness and hope. I had learned a new way to deal with injustice – to express love.
We don’t have to resign ourselves to outgrown, outmoded weapons. Following in the footsteps of Jesus, we learn to use more effective and inspired ways of thinking and acting to triumph over the challenges of life.