If you’ve never read Jonathan Edwards’ resolutions for his life, you should. You’ll be simultaneously inspired and challenged. Edwards, born in the early 1700s, was a massively influential revivalist, preacher, theologian, and pastor, considered by many to be one of the most influential philosophical theologians in American history. His resolutions shaped much of his life and many are notable. But of all seventy of so resolutions he made, number 15 always stands out most to me.
15. Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger to irrational beings.
- Jonathan Edwards, Resolutions
Translated into modern English, Edwards resolved to never get angry at irrational or inanimate objects. It’s a resolution I, and I believe many of you, would benefit from. I know I’ve most certainly been angry enough at my computer to slam the mouse down, angry enough at our Hyundai while working on it to kick the darn thing, and the list goes on. And that’s a problem.
But why?
Why does it matter? Who cares if we get angry at irrational beings or inanimate objects? It doesn’t hurt anyone if I kick my car or slam my mouse. Or does it?
I believe God cares about those moments of anger, as do the people around us. When our anger flares up at our pet or our cell phone, it reveals a truth about the state of our hearts that must be addressed.
Four problems with the anger
1. It accuses God of doing something wrong.
When we get angry at an object that doesn’t have a will of its own we are, in essence, getting angry at God for allowing that object to be the way it was at that time. If God is sovereign over his creation, and the Bible certainly seems to communicate that he is, then our anger at the chair leg that we stubbed our toe on in the middle of the night is, ultimately, anger at the one who made the chair leg sturdier than our toes.
2. It comes from a desire for control rather than a heart of faith
With the exception of impulsive reactions to being physically hurt (as in the stubbed toe example above), our anger towards inanimate or irrational objects almost always comes from something going against our own sovereignty and desire for control. My computer crashes and I curse it. The curse comes because the computer is not submitting to my will, which means that I have a belief that objects must submit themselves to my will. Contrast this with a heart of faith that accepts the reality that God is the one who is truly in control and knows how to go with the flow of God’s hand in the moment.
To use the computer crash example, instead of cursing the computer for crashing and delaying getting work or entertainment done, the heart of faith would instinctively lift itself to the Lord and listen to what God may be saying. It may well be that God wants you to take that startup time to talk to a co-workers or spend a moment in prayer. Or maybe he simply wants to give you an opportunity for practicing patience.
3. It doesn’t point people toward Jesus
When we explode (whether it be a large explosion or small) with anger and others are around, it certainly doesn’t draw people to Jesus. Instead it’s an anger that causes people to draw back, look away, and tread carefully lest it be directed toward them.
We are called to be ambassadors of reconciliation, pointing people towards the love, joy, peace, and patience that is in Jesus. The more our life can reflect that in reality the more effective we will be.
4. It’s evidence of a lack of patience
Almost every flash of anger at an inanimate object would be mitigated if we were truly patient people. Patience falls in the top 5 of the fruits of the Spirit listed by the Apostle Paul. When we are walk in step with the Spirit we walk in patience. A lack of patience is a clear indication that we are in some way not walking in step with the Spirit.
But how?
So how do we stop our anger at inanimate objects? I believe for many of us simply being aware of the implications of our anger and consciously resolving, as Edwards did, to not allow that anger to have even the “least motions” within us will go a long ways in freeing us from its control.
For others – particularly those more prone towards strong emotions – it will take some deeper soul-searching to discover the roots of that anger. Those roots will most likely, as with any sin, be found in wrong-headed beliefs about who God is and/or who we are.
Let’s try it.
As we go into the weekend let’s follow Edwards’ example and minimize the anger in our lives. Next time you stub your toe practice the laughably counter-intuitive response of thanking God for the chair that interrupted your step. When your phone loses signal in the midst of a call open the eyes of faith and look for what God is doing rather than cursing your loss of control.
Let’s try it.
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