There are moments as a pastor that will stay with you forever. Some are moments of joy … some are moments of sorrow. Tonight was one of those moments. I will forever remember the faces, the tears … the pain that was so evident in those around the table. Some of those tears were mine.
Tonight the Conference met with the Gladstone Church Board to share the decision of the Conference Leadership Board to close the Gladstone Church. The weight of this decision and the difficulty in coming to this decision was evident to me. The pain this decision brought to people I love, hurt my heart.
There was hurt, disagreement and anger expressed during the course of the meeting. There were hurtful things said in anger that frankly disappointed me as a pastor. My heart is grieved over the loss that my people are facing and the anger they are struggling with.
Anger is a funny emotion. Anger in itself is not wrong, but what we do with that anger … that is where it really counts. So what do we do when we are hurt, when we are angry, when life is going in a direction that we do not like? When there is a loss that is tearing me apart? I think it comes down to making a choice. Will I let anger control me? Or will I control my anger? James reminds us that anger can be a dangerous path.
“man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” James 1:20
This is a clear reminder that anger can lead us to actions that are less than what God calls us to. It might be understandable, it might even be justified in my mind, but it can still be dead wrong. Our emotions do not have to rule us.
“I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing” 1 Timothy 2:8
I think the answer to anger is more of Christ and less of me. I need to be praying. When anger begins to rise, I need to pray. It is a choice I can make. Prayer will always be the right choice. You know, I think there will be plenty of opportunity to practice prayer in the weeks ahead.
Just Connie
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