Don’t be controlled by your anger

​In Week 3, we look at 1 Samuel 24 at a crucial moment in David’s life. He’s been anointed as the next king of Israel, but King Saul is still around, and he’s out to get David.
 
As David is on the run from King Saul, he discovers the perfect opportunity to take out King Saul and be done with their feud. David paused and realized that taking matters into his own hands was not what God wanted for him. He didn’t let anger control his actions.
 
Bottom Line: Don’t be controlled by your anger. Anger is a natural response to difficult situations. How we handle that anger is essential. As we learn to trust God no matter what, we discover how we can control our anger and not let it get the better of us. God can give us what we need to find ways to think and calm down before making an unwise decision that hurts others or ourselves.
 
In Reign Forest, we did an object lesson where we filled a vase with water and added a few drops of soap & food dye. The (food dye made the water easier to see). The water represented us, and to it, we added spoonfuls of baking soda, which represented when we experience people or situations that can make us angry. To the baking soda and water mixture, we then added white vinegar. The vinegar represented our self-control. When we added too much, and the solution fizzed and bubbled over, it represented us being controlled by anger (or lacking self-control)—a visual reminder of what NOT to do.
 
We also talked about some ways we can process through when we feel angry.
1) Pray. Ask the Holy Spirit for help.
2) Count to 10. (we listened to a clip from the song  Count to 10 by Jim Rule) https://www.songsforteaching.com/jimrule/counttoten.htm
3) Take deep breaths. Smell a flower (breath in)  Blow out a candle (breath out)
4) Hug a stuffed animal.
5) Walk it off.
 
Bible Verse #10: Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry (James 1:19 NLT).
 
Have a wonderful week!
The Reign Forest team