Mad at God? Pray Anyway.

"I don't smoke. I don't chew. I don't hang out with girls that do."

Southern elders and senior saints of the Baptist church community still remember this phrase birthed in the days of prohibition. It's the best way to summarize the "good church girl" classification I have lived under all my life.

But know this.... I CAN and DO get angry.

Remember the Hulk from the 70's?

"Don't make me angry. you wouldn't like me when I'm angry."

Dr. David Banner aka The Hulk

Yep. Sometimes, that's me.

My family and close friends know. There is a way I talk when I'm hot. They know when Phillipa starts "going in" like this, you might want to back away from the "good church girl".

As I look back, I start to recognize something about myself. I don't waste a lot of emotion on knee-jerk reactions or pity parties. I can be upset with you or disappointed in you and you may have no idea to what extent.

But after multiple infractions... after too many disappointments... well...

For me, getting angry takes time. It takes thought.

It... just... takes.

Anger is the last response, our indignant reaction before we resign ourselves to numbness. It's one of the most transparent emotions we have, our intense and intentional emotional response to what we had in mind.

But who could have imagined so many reasons to be mad in one year?

That we would lose so much?

Feel so much pain?

See so much suffering?

Live with so much stress?

Does this sound like you?