A Call to Conquer Anger
Kayin was a strong man.
But he allowed the enemy of his soul to find his Achilles’ heel.
He willingly surrendered his mind, body, and soul to the chief nemesis of the Awestruck Heart—anger.
The Poison of Anger
Wonder and awe cannot coexist with anger.
Anger creates a toxic atmosphere where nothing holy can thrive.
It all started with a feeling of disappointment—one that seemed undeserved.
Kayin had hoped to impress the Holy One.
He may have even imagined receiving a blessing.
But instead, his offering was overshadowed by Hevel’s humble gift.
And now, Kayin was replaying the events over and over,
his heart screaming about the injustice of it all.
"It’s just not right. It’s so unfair."
He allowed his mind to dwell on these thoughts.
- He let his heart race.
- He let his face flush with pulsing adrenaline.
- He let his jaw tighten.
- He let his fists clench.
He looked strong—but he was oh, so weak.
The King’s Fatherly Love
The Holy One saw it all.
And His heart went out to Kayin.
He reached out with Fatherly love—a love that should have caused an Awestruck Heart to leap and dance.
But Kayin’s heart was not awestruck.
It was disappointed, bitter, and angry.
He could not feel awe and wonder toward the King
while entertaining thoughts that his situation was “not right”,
“not fair”, or “not deserved”.
Neither can we.
The Awestruck Heart vs. The Angry Heart
An Awestruck Heart knows:
- It deserves nothing.
- Words like “fair” and “right” are nonsense to small, self-important men.
An Angry Heart is:
- Self-centered
- Petty
- Weak
An Awestruck Heart cannot be angry.
And an Angry Heart cannot be awestruck.
Prayer for the Journey
Glorious King,
I, like Kayin, yield far too often to irritation, frustration, and anger
over circumstances I cannot control.
Set me free from this cruel bondage
to the harsh taskmaster called Anger!
Awestruck Heart Challenge #8
Recognize anger for what it is—a cruel taskmaster.
Work with the King to develop a strategy to overcome it.
Awestruck Heart Exercise #8
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Read: 1 Samuel 18:5-12
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Self-Examination:
- Make a list of things that trigger anger in you.
- Why do those things make you angry?
- How could you handle those irritations more effectively?
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Reflect:
- What are the differences between the anger of man and the anger of the Holy One?
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Read & Meditate:
- Jonah 4:1-11
- Proverbs 22:24-25
- Proverbs 29:22
- Ecclesiastes 7:9
- Ephesians 4:17-27
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Close Your Eyes. Say to the King:
Forgive me for surrendering my heart, mind, soul, and body to anger,
and for not surrendering my emotions and thoughts to You.Forgive me for exchanging my awe and wonder
for my limited and selfish ideas of fair and unfair,
right and wrong, good and evil.Teach me to walk in the fear of You
and the love of my fellow man—
not in the anger of my heart.
Final Reflection
Anger destroys wonder.
It poisons the heart, clouds judgment,
and robs us of the fear and awe of the Holy One.
This week, will you release the anger that has held you captive?
The King is ready to break its chains.
Will you let Him?