Anger-A Foothold for the Devil

Sometimes you have to laugh.

I knew I wanted to write about anger this morning. I had first read the scripture which said that anger gives the devil a foothold. I thought how dangerous anger is. I wanted to tell others to be careful.

Then, my browser decided it needed to do an update. After waiting several minutes, it claimed it couldn't load because it was missing a file. Then I got the "black screen of death." It is related to the "blue screen of death." I think the only difference is color. Nothing happened more so I held the power button until the computer turned off.

Upon rebooting I got a "Windows Update" message. You know the one that says, "1 of 3, Do Not Turn Off Your Computer." I waited until that completed.

Any you guessed it. By this time I was angry!

So, here is a very fresh perspective. I want to do irrational things right now. I would like to use this laptop as a clay pigeon for target practice, take it in the parking lot and drive over it several times and put it in the bed of the CEO of Microsoft as the harbinger of a "offer he can't refuse."

Can we see how the devil can get a foothold here?

It does not matter that I feel justified in doing any of these things. It doesn't matter if I am truly justified. The issue is my anger causing me to do something that will not bring glory to God. None of the feelings I have are honoring to God. There is no righteous anger. There is no anger which will ultimately give God glory because His glory has been marred. I am upset because my own expectations have not been met. It make me feel like a victim. I want to set things right and I have no real method of doing so.

(Yes, I do own a Macbook but it is at my house and I am in my office right now.)

So, I calm down. I know that my feelings of retribution will neither bring about a better computer nor truly satisfy any anger I have had. They will do nothing but give the devil a foothold.

From that foothold, he can control the rest of my day. That's not going to happen.

Gotta go! I just got a message at the bottom of my screen that Windows needs to do another update! (No joking!!!!) That means the computer will turn itself off unexpectedly in a few minutes.

You gotta love it! (and by the way, the program that inserts the scripture in automatically has stopped working too)

Ephesians 4:26 (NIV)
"In your anger do not sin"; Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.