It happens sometimes that someone disappoints me. A low-level anger grows within my gut. Not rage. But my emotions are aroused.
It happens sometimes that I react with an email promptly.
That is always a mistake. I know better. Walk away. Let the new situation digest. Then I can respond from a recognition of the new situation.
Time. Allow for understanding. Readjust thinking. Now response comes more calmly and constructively.
For example, a referee calls and says, “Sorry, but I cannot do that game tomorrow that I promised I would.”
Anger does not help. The new reality is that I must find a replacement. My thinking must quickly move toward accepting the new reality and devising solutions. That requires calm.
Sometimes the anger may be deeper. Politics can stir deep and lasting emotions. Injustice in the world. Someone in the workplace or within the organization beats me out of a position and I lose status and money.
We cannot let the anger grow and control us. What is the situation? What can we do? If we can do nothing (like politics in Washington other than vote every couple of years), then we have to accept our limitations and work where we can provide solutions.
Maybe I can’t solve world hunger (I worked for an organization once that tried that.) But we can feed the hungry family down the street or send money to an orphanage to help feed the kids. I can let the anger provide energy for useful responses.
Once we go that far, then as we rest daily with God in the spirit of meditation in our daily disciplines, we can let the spirit of God guide our responses now that we’ve calmed enough to accept it. When anger is in control, we can’t listen. When we decide to recognize this new situation, we can listen for God’s guidance. This channels our life into more useful responses.
Faith Venture 
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