Red Light Rage – Why We Get So Mad

Read The Daily:
“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” – James 4:1

Post by Alisha Miller

My husband is the most patient human that I have ever met. He doesn’t get angry easily. He doesn’t get bent out of shape when things don’t go as planned. He completely trusts the process and rolls with the punches. However the one thing that drives him crazy is bad or inconsiderate drivers. He can have major road rage issues at times, that I like to refer to as the red light rage lol. If someone is distracted, casually driving in the left hand lane, or sits at a red light too long he will lose his mind. He literally thinks he is the best driver in the entire world…just ask him, lol. In reality he makes mistakes when driving. I have witnessed it first hand, but he expects instant forgiveness for his mistake, but rarely extends that same grace to others.

We want instant forgiveness for our mistakes, but rarely extend that same grace to others

We all have that moment—sitting at a red light, watching the car in front of us refuse to move because they’re texting. Suddenly, we’re gripping the wheel, yelling (even if they can’t hear us), and feeling personally offended. But why? Because we wanted to go. We had places to be. And they were in our way.
That’s how anger works. We assume our way is the right way, and when something (or someone) blocks it, we react. But James 4:1 reminds us that the real battle isn’t between us and other people—it’s happening inside us. Our anger is often less about what happened and more about what we wanted to happen.

Prayer for the Day

God what are you  showing me?  What am I going to do about it?
God help me to see one person that I can serve through a kind word, random act of kindness, or simple gift today?
Make sure you complete the reading or comment today.

Read The New Testament In A Year

4 x 6 Plan | Read: John 15:18-27 & 2 Thessalonians 3:6-18

“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me. They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. Anyone who hates me also hates my Father. If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father. This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures: ‘They hated me without cause.’ “But I will send you the Advocate—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me. And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry.   John 15:18-27

And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us. For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you. We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you. We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow. Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living. As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good. Take note of those who refuse to obey what we say in this letter. Stay away from them so they will be ashamed. Don’t think of them as enemies, but warn them as you would a brother or sister. Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all. HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL. I DO THIS IN ALL MY LETTERS TO PROVE THEY ARE FROM ME. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.  2 Thessalonians 3:6-18

Read More – Bible Project Overviews: John, 2 Thessalonians