When Your World Is Angry

Is it possible to live peacefully in a world full of rage?

Who remembers Tickle Me Elmo? It was back in 1996, so I’m really dating myself here. I never wanted one. I was too old, although I’d like to think that I’d have had better sense.

It seemed like everyone was after it. There were stampedes in the stores. There were fights. Over a toy—a really disturbing, pyscho-giggling toy at that.

Fast forward to today and I’m not sure we’ve improved from the Tickle Me Elmo craze. Just Google “Black Friday Incidents” and you’ll see what I mean. I was looking for wild stories about people racing around in stores. What I got was a list of deaths. Stabbings! Shootings! Over Christmas presents! There’s a whole website devoted to the death counts on Black Friday.

What?

We live in an angry world, and it’s only getting angrier. So how do we deal with that? How are we supposed to live with any kind of hope when we’re surrounded by rage?

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

Romans 12:18

Well how on earth is that practical advice? How can you live in peace when the world around you is furious and violent and dangerous?

Would you believe me if I told you it’s a choice?

You aren’t required to engage with the anger around you. Just because someone else is angry doesn’t mean you have to be angry too.

Doing all that you can to live in peace means sometimes walking away from toxic people. Sometimes it means standing up to someone you love and speaking the truth. It sometimes means having to leave a disagreement unresolved. It often means forgiving someone else before they have apologized.

That’s not to say that anger by itself is wrong. Anger is natural. It’s a normal emotional response. But it’s important to remember that action driven by anger rarely accomplishes anything for God (James 1:20).

It’s hard. Dealing with conflict in a healthy way is always a challenge. You can’t always walk away, but you shouldn’t always stay put either. Ask the Lord for wisdom. He’ll help you know what to do.

If you have done everything in your power to live in peace, it’s a lot easier to live with hope, even when the world around you is going nuts.

Questions for Reflection

• What makes you angry? How do you deal with conflict in your life?

• Do you tend to participate in angry discussions or debates? Or are you able to walk away from them?

• How can you prepare to deal with your anger? Do you have a strategy?

Weekly Memory Verse