"Why are you angry"

Wow, that title sounds kind of ominous. Not really the kind of title I wanted to start the new year off with. So why that title? I decided that I really need to be more disciplined in my Bible reading this year so I started a one year reading plan.

I, of course, decided a couple of days late and had to catch up already. (I am all caught up now, just so you know.) As I was reading day two some verses stopped me in my tracks. They really weren't the verses I was hoping to have the Lord speak to me through. They were Genesis 4:6-7. This is what they say, "The LORD said to Cain, 'Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.'" Not really the encouragement I was looking for this morning. Why those verses Lord. I don't feel angry. It's a new year and with it is always a sense of a new beginning.

The more I pondered on these verses, the more things became clearer. It's true, I am not angry about anything right now, in fact, I feel pretty optimistic about what the future may hold and the new directions that I feel the Lord leading me in. I have times though when I do feel angry. I don't think during those times, I would receive these verses from the Lord very well. That's why I have to think on them now. I think of it as a warning. When I find myself feeling angry, I need a time out and to ask myself as the Lord asked Cain, "why am I angry?"

It is easy for me to point the finger at other people or things or circumstances but maybe I should be focusing on who the other three fingers are pointing at; myself! Yikes! Those verses say that if I will do well then I will be accepted. So often when I feel angry, if I will take a step back, away from the situation and look at things objectively I find the answer if pretty simple. It is usually a little three letter word; SIN. Some sin I am holding on to and not giving it to the Lord, so when I bring Him my worship, He can't really accept it and anger creeps in. The verse says it is crouching at the door. Satan it looking for anyway to get a foothold in my live. Instead of letting him pounce on me by holding on to my sin; what I really need to do is slam the door in his face by humbling myself before the Lord, confessing any sin He shows me and then offering Him my praise and worship once again. The last part of the verse says, "Its desire is for you but you must rule over it." Open, honest, humble communication with the Lord is how to master it. It's not what I do, but what God does in my heart that changes everything. I want to be accepted by God, so maybe these verses really are good ones to start the new year off with; a commitment to open, honest communication with my God, accepting whatever He shows me and slamming the door on that Satan as he waits to pounce.