Letting go of anger...

As I listen to the news during the day, I find my anger at various companies, institutions, and people continually coming to the surface. There is, after all, a lot about which to be angry. The trouble is, such anger has never proved helpful for me.
Even when such anger is justified, being angry or seeking retribution will not reverse history, nor will it help bring about a change to the problem which caused my anger. Problems in our world will continue. People (including me) will continue to make decisions with which we disagree. People will continue being hurtful (intentionally or unintentionally). None of us know what will be the outcome of this life, nor of those who cause people harm (including ourselves).
Growing angry over harm in this world and then acting or speaking out of that anger will only add more hurt to the world. The only helpful course is to look with charity upon those who have caused hurt, those who have to make difficult decisions, and upon those who are most immediately affected by those harmful acts or difficult decisions, to let go of our anger and fear, and to seek peace within ourselves before we seek to understand those around us. Only when we are at peace and looking on others with charity are we able to provide constructive responses to our world.

Faith Without Works?

I’ve been reading James lately for a couple of Bible studies I’m leading, and I’ve been thinking a lot about what he says in his letter, “Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:17) Non-Christians realize this truth when they see some Christians saying one thing and doing another. Christians are often thought of as hypocrites for this very reason. Perhaps more sinister, however, is the problem we run into when we have faith, pray on Sunday or at certain times of the day, but then spend most of our days unconscious of our faith. We have faith, but we may lack an ever-present awareness of our faith so that our faith does not influence our daily actions. I think James’ words again hold true, that faith which doesn’t influence our daily actions and decisions is also a dead faith. Consider the life of your faith. Is your faith alive and well, or is it possibly on life support? Does your faith influence your life at school, at home, with your friends? If not, then be bold with your faith. Get it off life support and allow it to breathe life into you. Live your faith in action, hour by hour, minute by minute. Seek guidance from Jesus, and let his love show through you.