anger, facebook, and Ephesians 3:20-21

This summer, my discipleship group is going through The Truth Project. Pretty intense stuff...and I'll be sure to write all about what I'm learning this time through. But a couple of weeks ago, we took a break from the in-depth worldview study, and watched Rob Bell's "Store" Nooma. It's one of my favorites.

In the lesson, Rob Bell talks about what it means to have a holy anger. Our anger is usually rooted in selfishness, therefore manifesting itself in unhealthy and sinful ways. But there are things worth getting angry about. Often times, we are encouraged to label what we enjoy in order to direct us towards some sort of purpose in the future. But it is also a valid question to examine what makes us angry in the world...

There are many things worth fighting for that are part of a larger cause. In my own life, that which makes me angry directly correlates with an experience I've had where God has allowed me to see something outside of myself. 

I'm angry about the lack of hope there is for the poor after witnessing life on the reservation, where people seemed to be trapped in a life of fear and despair since they have no resources to help them out of their current situation. 

I'm angry about the genocide that is happening in our country and the injustice against those who have not yet been born ever since the first conversation I had with someone on a college campus after being trained with Justice for All.

I'm angry about the fact that every night when I go to bed, Milton (my Compassion child in Kenya) has to wake up in  a world where his family is dying from AIDS.

I want to be a part of bringing the peace of God to each one of these situations. But there's something else that has been currently making me mad. And this is in no way on the same scale as any of the other things I've listed above. But there's still something I can do about it. 

Poor communication makes me angry. One place that I particularly see this is online. My heart breaks for people who are more transparent and vulnerable on their facebook page than they are in a one-on-one conversation with someone. It hurts me to see people seek gratification and approval in the form of facebook comments.

It's easy for me to get a negative attitude about this. So instead of letting my anger manifest into complaining, God has challenged me to think about the ways I can be a part of His redeeming work in our culture. I've made it my goal to pray through all of my facebook friends. 

I'm excited for the story from an old friend about how God is working in their life. I'm excited for the acquaintance that I'll get to know better through this. I'm excited to see the power found in the name of the Lord impact a life that needs encouragement. I'm also excited to see how I change as I learn more and more what it means to celebrate the discipline of prayer for those I am called to love.

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen!"