Anger drags me down.  If someone offends me, I rehash every detail.  “They deserve my fury and need to learn a lesson.”  My rage grows and I justify my position, continuing to list reasons why I am right.   I hate to admit when I am wrong.   By holding onto anger, I wrongly believe the offender suffers.

The truth is other people do not know that I carry bitterness from their actions.  James 1:20 is, “Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.”  (Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 1996, 2004, 2007).   God desires for me to be righteous.  However, anger produces the polar opposite of righteousness.  It also brings me down and takes my attention from God.  Anger hurts me instead of the one I intended it to.

Negative emotions also damage my eating.  When I am consumed by rage, I focus on situations that upset me.  This squeezes God out, so I end up slipping.  So now, not only am I mad, but guilty of overeating. Eventually, it takes me to the place of surrender at the feet of Jesus.  I end up confessing both carrying anger and overeating. I feel relief for letting go of bitterness and shift my focus back to God.  I realize how silly it is to allow rage and bitterness to build. God directs me to let go of anger so I can avoid emotional eating.

Note:  I am shifting the day I publish my weekly blog to Wednesday from Sunday.