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New every morning is your love, great God of light, and all day long you are working for good in the world. Stir up in us desire to serve you, to live peacefully with our neighbors and all your creation, and to devote each day to your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

"A Liturgy for Morning Prayer," Upper Room Worshipbook

Used by permission from the Book of Common Worship, © 2018 Westminster John Knox Press. All rights reserved. This prayer appears in “A Liturgy for Morning Prayer” in Upper Room Worshipbook.

 

Today’s Reflection

Our immensely ambivalent relationship to anger stems from its strong association with negative power. We don’t want to feel it; yet we do. Often it seems easier or safer simply to deny or suppress this emotion. There is much we need to understand about anger in order to recognize it fully, value what we can learn from it, and channel its destructive potential into constructive energy. Our view of this emotion and how we choose to use it is a deeply spiritual matter.

—Marjorie J. Thompson, The Way of Forgiveness Participant’s Book (Companions in Christ Series) (Upper Room Books, 2002)

Today’s Question

What has shaped your view of anger? How might your spirituality guide you in channeling it into constructive energy? Join the conversation.

Today’s Scripture

Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly.

—Proverbs 14:29 (NRSV)

Prayer for the Week

Lord, guide me to know and learn from my emotions: my anger, my fears, my grief, my joys, my love. Show me how to master them so that they will not master me.
Submit your prayer to The Upper Room.

Something More

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Lectionary Readings

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)

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6 Comments

  • robert moeller Posted February 9, 2021 6:59 am

    Oh, it surely paid to go back through several days of NEW EVERY MORNING posts and learn of good news. Helpful meds for Marcy, prospects for Julie with a new lawyer, word of Mary,’s activities, how Lou , Ally and David are doing, and that others had the same glimpse of posts from 2017. Very welcome news indeed.

    I am by nature quite slow to become angry and have become more so in the last two decades. I see anger as wasted energy. Trying to find solutions for the cause of becoming angry makes more sense.
    Am not always successful but remain anger less. Working with tiny detail parts that often can disappear has helped me with this.

    Today’s Bible study has us reexamining Bible passages from a devotional that accompanied Almost Christmas – A Wesleyan Experience. Somewhat unexpected the table of contents led me to a devotion that had no Bible verse. It asks the question, “Am I no longer mine?” It makes me think of Paul, who, if I have this right, tells of his outer being’s connection to the world, and his inner being’s connection to Christ I am very aware that without God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I would not exist. Spiritually I am God connected.In this pandemic especially my model train building has taken on a greater meaning and been very helpful. I’m very aware that it will be all for naught when I go home.

    Prayers and thanks for all of you dear oasis visitors. Your needs, concerns, sharing, and caring are among my prayers and thanks. May God’s blessing come your way this and every day. Thank You, Lord.

  • Julie Posted February 9, 2021 8:36 am

    The object of my most intense anger is currently sitting across from me so my mind is a bit scattered. I learned about anger and how to deal with the emotion from my parents. My father was a violent alcoholic who was angry with the slightest provocation and my mother and we children cowered and placated and fled. H is equally violent and volatile and I did try to appease but now stand my ground. In other instances, I have learned through Christ and the Bible that life is too short and I do not want anger to steal any moment that could be filled instead with joy.
    Prayers for Robert and his Bible study group, as they gather in a safe manner may they share their hearts and insights.
    Prayers for Ally, may her meds have helped her eyes and may she receive a good report from the doctor. Prayers for David, may his doctor’s address his continued unsteadiness. Prayers for Rachel, may she continue to improve and be able to travel home soon.
    Prayers for Jill and her god daughter, may they both stay safe as the basketball season winds down and thank you Lord, that Jill will soon receive her vaccine.
    Prayers for Lou and all who reside in the midwest, may all stay safe and warm during these record cold temps.
    Prrayers for Marcy especially, who has no control over her heat and also lives in the midwest, may she and Lucy stay bundled together and safe.
    I have the appointment with the lawyer and Megan and I will conduct it whike driving in order to ensure privacy. Please continue to pray that this lawyer is up to the task of refuting h’s claims to keep all the marital assets based on what I see to be a voided document. Thank you so much

  • April Posted February 9, 2021 9:14 am

    Anger, another emotion, and how if affects me. I grew up in the time when anger was taught to be suppressed, at least by words, so like others I learned from, I would have a smile on my face and be angry inside. This worked in our family and community because everyone did the same thing and I learned how to handle anger. When I was out in the broader world, I continued to practice what I had learned, but did not like how I felt, so I started researching anger and found that my thoughts were normal. And I learned ways to deal with anger that allowed me to move on from anger (I had handled it) and there is more to life than being angry. The best way (my opinion) was to turn it over to God and let Him deal with the problem that was causing my anger…..and leave it there. So…I would do this (although the anger did pop up at times) and slowly, the anger would leave. The solution to my anger was from God, not me. I would come back to the verses
    Isaiah 55:8 -9
    8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
    9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

    Proverbs 3:5-6
    5 Trust in The Lord with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding.
    6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight
    I have noticed that the “new” parents are reading research articles on anger and teaching our grandchildren about emotions, including anger. They identify this feeling for the young ones and help them deal with it by going outside and scream, running outside, thinking about what they could have done differently, etc…anger is not ignored or suppressed. And guess what, this gal who is all about education, is learning too😊)
    On the thought from yesterday, the scripture is a favorite of mine and what I wrote to our kids at their High School Graduations:
    I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
    —Ephesians 3:18-19 (NRSV)
    I pray the prayers posted for our UR Family, may you feel the hand of Jesus guiding you as we take 1 step at a time. Sending you a smile of love ….Be Blessed.

  • Ally Posted February 9, 2021 3:00 pm

    I try to manage anger in healthy ways: prayer, talking to a trusted friend, immersing myself in a project. My worst habit is not giving anger its proper place: owning it and moving on. Sometimes I dwell on it. Sometimes this is because I haven’t dealt with the primary emotions that led to the angry feelings: frustration, sadness, hurt. When I trust God to help me manage those, it is easier to let go.
    David is in better spirits today. His antidepressant is working. He also seems steadier on his feet today. Had my follow-up this morning with my eye doctor. The inflammation has decreased. Doc advised that I continue the prednisone drops and see him again in 3 weeks. I still have a little blurred vision in my right eye. Talked to my aunt who has a birthday today. I’m thankful for my aunts and uncles. All are over 80 now. I miss our in-person visits, but am glad they continue to be healthy. Please pray for a friend who lost her husband to alcoholism. Robert, thank you for the reminder that we would be nothing without Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thank yoy for yoyr prayers for us. April, like you, I was taught to hold in anger. Thank you for your prayers and for the scriptures. Praying for Marcy and Lucy, that they find a way to stay warm. Praying for all who are dealing with extreme cold and winter weather. Julie, I pray for your and Megan’s safety and that your lawyer can help you. Thanks So much for your prayers. I thank God for His provisions and for or UR family. Blessings to all!

  • Jill Posted February 9, 2021 3:15 pm

    I feel like anger raises its ugly head most frequently for me in competition…on the tennis court or on the golf course. I get easily frustrated…and I do have a bit of a fiery temper…in this way I am like my dad. He, the one of ultimate patience and compassion, gets easily down on himself on the course. When he and mom used to play tennis – she called him McEnroe. I quickly became known as little McEnroe. As I have matured, it has definitely improved. But I am still as competitive as ever, and a lot of people don’t get that. Luckily, my doubles partner for 20+ years understands me – guess that is why we remain partners. I am fire and she is ice.
    I think about righteous, holy anger – and how I need to burn with this when I look at the oppressed, needy and under-represented. How would God have me use this anger for His glory?
    This morning wasn’t nearly as frigid and was absent any wind, so I was able to comfortably run. School went reasonably well and I have tennis drills with the team tonight.

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