“Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:9
Anger is an emotion most of us encounter early in life. As a new father, I witness my child’s reactions every day. One thing is clear: when we can’t express our emotions in words, we often find other ways to show them. For my daughter, this means crying—over and over. Crying is the only way she can express what she’s feeling in that moment.
In a similar way, I sometimes experience anger like my seven-month-old daughter, struggling to use words. Instead, I might react shutting down or leaving the situation that caused the anger. So, I come back to this verse, reading it again and again, and ask myself: am I being foolish by letting anger take hold in these situations? Did shutting down or avoiding the issue solve anything? Did I make things better by leaving the situation unresolved, knowing the problems are still there, waiting?
Next time anger arises, I want to approach it differently. After the initial reaction, I’ll try to pause, step back, and look at the problem again. I’ll remind myself, “Anger resides in the lap of fools.” I bet that if I take this approach, the outcome will be very different. I’ve found that when I pause and collect my thoughts, I often see the situation from a new perspective—and sometimes I even laugh at how much I let something small get to me.
I began by sharing how my daughter cries when she feels angry, a way to release emotions she doesn’t yet understand. And while she can’t yet pause and reset, today I’m inspired by her. I can help turn her frustration into joy, becoming a change agent in that moment. Today, I challenge you to do the same: turn your frustrations into positive action. Don’t be overcome by anger, but remember that it can be transformed into something constructive. Choose forgiveness, just as God forgives us, and choose peace over anger.
Submitted by Kurt Hamilton
Prayer
God, thank you for reminding us of the gift of our emotions. Each one brings us closer to understanding ourselves and our need for you, our steady rock. You are the One we can turn to in every situation. Help us, Lord, to transform our anger into something constructive, using that energy to support the world you’ve created. May we remember today, and every day, that there’s purpose in all we experience, and that we can bring it all to you. Thank you for this day and the blessing of emotions. In your Son’s name, we pray. Amen.