Thanks for this Steve. For the wisdom of our predecessors, and for your own discernment of God’s voice.

Over the last week, or so, these words from Dallas Willard keep finding their way back to me, “Anger and contempt are the twin scourges of the earth. … these bitter emotions form the poisonous brew in which human existence stands suspended. … Once you see those emotions for what they are, the constant stream of human disasters that history and life bring before us can also be seen for what they are: the natural outcome of human choice, of people choosing to be angry and contemptuous. … We have to remember this when we read what Jesus and other biblical writers say about anger. To cut the root of anger is to wither the tree of human evil.” (Divine Conspiracy, pg. 150)

There’s often this voice inside of me saying, “If you’re not angry about what is happening, then you don’t care.” But, that’s not the Spirit’s voice. Those are not Jesus’ words. It’s a lie I keep telling myself. Anger isn’t the way to healing.

“Dark has always been the beginning …” As much as I dislike this and wish it weren’t true, this is the ultimate truth. And so, with Christ as our guide, we will make our way together through this darkness.