Have you ever found yourself angry at the car next to you as you travel on the roads? On the way home from work I was driving during rush hour traffic and behind me was a truck who wanted to be much closer to where he was going than he was. Since there was no way around me (i.e. his current obstacle) his next best position was about 5 feet from the back end of my car. I would love to let him pass but there was no way that could happen in the current conditions. So here I am driving 50+ mph in my Honda civic with a big pickup on my tail following a very short distance behind. My assessment of the situation was that this man was driving in such a manner as to put me at a high risk of injury. I began to run through my mind everything I would like to do to get this man back. If I quickly step on my brakes that would show him…or me! What if I don’t let him pass when the opportunity comes when he can Yes, when he switches lanes to pass me I will at the same time switch lanes to block him. On and on I played the different scenarios’ through my mind. Finally, when he did pass he found himself behind another car doing the same thing and possibly creating the same response from that driver. What an arrogant selfish fool that man was!
What happened here? Was my anger and indignation justified? After all, he put me at an unnecessary great risk of injury. The concern I have is with regard to my response to these conditions beyond my control. My response of rage, anger, revenge, hate, etc. were self centered not God centered. This man was unjustly violating me! How often does this happen in the work place, at home, on the roads, at family gatherings, in the church. Rather than defend myself as I did I wish I would have went to God with my concerns. After all isn’t God the God of our circumstances? Jesus endured many forms of hostility. Maybe even with a fellow donkey rider! Definitely, from the religious Pharisees of his day. What did he do? He went to the Father.
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. Heb 12:3
What happened here? Was my anger and indignation justified? After all, he put me at an unnecessary great risk of injury. The concern I have is with regard to my response to these conditions beyond my control. My response of rage, anger, revenge, hate, etc. were self centered not God centered. This man was unjustly violating me! How often does this happen in the work place, at home, on the roads, at family gatherings, in the church. Rather than defend myself as I did I wish I would have went to God with my concerns. After all isn’t God the God of our circumstances? Jesus endured many forms of hostility. Maybe even with a fellow donkey rider! Definitely, from the religious Pharisees of his day. What did he do? He went to the Father.
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. Heb 12:3