JustifiedSample

When was the last time you remember being really, really angry? When we look around the world or think about the hard circumstances our friends and family go through, there's a lot to be angry about. You may have even gotten angry about something today. Anger often feels personal and there are so many reasons why we can get angry — some justified, and others . . . not so much.

Jesus and the disciples had to learn how to walk through their big feelings of love, confusion, and anger. There's this moment between Jesus and Peter where Jesus predicted his death and Peter got mad at him. Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked him for what he had said. But when we pause to take a look at why Peter responded like this, we can see just how complicated his anger was.

Peter loved Jesus. He wanted to protect him. His feelings of anger were actually a mask for a whole bunch of other feelings — worry, pain, sadness, and more. Rather than take the time to explore his feelings, Peter responded with whatever came to the surface first, which happened to be his anger.

As you go through life, there will be so many sources of anger and frustration. Peter's story shows why it's so important to slow down and sit with our anger a bit. Sometimes, it's just one part of a whole bunch of feelings mixed together. When we pause, we can see what's happening underneath it all. So the next time you feel yourself getting angry, pause to ask God why.