Contention is not of Me
Posted: May 2nd, 2012, 1:28 am
Contention is Not of Me
Anger is a strong feeling of displeasure, generally resulting from the perception of having been wronged. Anger is very harmful to us. When we feel anger it effects our minds by becoming hyper-focused on the catalyst making it more difficult to reason and make good decision. Our bodies are effected by stress, tension, and adrenaline, making it more difficult to have mastery over them. Anger also drives away the Holy Ghost, leaving us more vulnerable to the temptations of the devil.
The most important thing to remember about anger is that no one can make you angry. Lehi taught: “there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon” (2 Nephi 2:14). Which things are we? Things to act or to be acted upon? Lehi answers this a few verses later when he says, “Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself” (2 Nephi 2:16). Yes, we were made to be our own masters. When we say that someone makes us angry, we give them power over us.
Christ taught: “he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away” (3 Nephi 11:29-30). Keeping this in mind, that contention is of the devil, ponder this next quote from Joseph Smith: “All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not. The devil has no power over us only as we permit him. The moment we revolt at anything which comes from God, the devil takes power.” Thus anger and contention, which are tools of the devil, can have no power over us unless we give Satan that power.
Why do we get angry then? It is a common response when we feel we have been wronged. Some situations might be if we were the victims of a robbery or other petty crime. We might be angry if we were threatened or physically harmed. Some people have found themselves in social situations where hurtful words and lies are often repeated and this leads to anger. Sometimes anger stems from a simple misunderstanding. When we feel ourselves getting angry, we must remember that the emotion of anger is justified–it is okay to be angry! The information that our anger is based on, however, may be incorrect and so we must ensure that we haven’t misunderstood. The problem with anger is when our reactions are not appropriate. Using words or fists to hurt another person is never an appropriate outlet for anger.
What can we do then? First, ask yourself three questions: Why did I get angry? What did I do about it? What can I do differently? If possible, wait to react to the situation until you are more calm. Your reasoning will be me thorough and you are more likely to be satisfied with the outcome of the situation. Remember Proverbs 16:32–”He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” Discuss the situation calmly with other people involved, even if the others are more heated. Think about James 1:19–”Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath”–to be blunt, ‘shut your mouth and listen. Pray! The Holy Ghost can help you to remain calm, to forgive, and to find the right words to express yourself.
Of all these things, remember that everyone, even those whose actions dissatisfy you, are children of God–your brothers and sisters. “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).
I’d like to close with a quote from Howard W. Hunter: “We need to be slower to anger and more prompt to help. We need to extend the hand of friendship and resist the hand of retribution. In short, we need to love one another with the pure love of Christ … for that is the way God loves us” (Ensign, May 1992, 61).
Anger is a strong feeling of displeasure, generally resulting from the perception of having been wronged. Anger is very harmful to us. When we feel anger it effects our minds by becoming hyper-focused on the catalyst making it more difficult to reason and make good decision. Our bodies are effected by stress, tension, and adrenaline, making it more difficult to have mastery over them. Anger also drives away the Holy Ghost, leaving us more vulnerable to the temptations of the devil.
The most important thing to remember about anger is that no one can make you angry. Lehi taught: “there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon” (2 Nephi 2:14). Which things are we? Things to act or to be acted upon? Lehi answers this a few verses later when he says, “Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself” (2 Nephi 2:16). Yes, we were made to be our own masters. When we say that someone makes us angry, we give them power over us.
Christ taught: “he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away” (3 Nephi 11:29-30). Keeping this in mind, that contention is of the devil, ponder this next quote from Joseph Smith: “All beings who have bodies have power over those who have not. The devil has no power over us only as we permit him. The moment we revolt at anything which comes from God, the devil takes power.” Thus anger and contention, which are tools of the devil, can have no power over us unless we give Satan that power.
Why do we get angry then? It is a common response when we feel we have been wronged. Some situations might be if we were the victims of a robbery or other petty crime. We might be angry if we were threatened or physically harmed. Some people have found themselves in social situations where hurtful words and lies are often repeated and this leads to anger. Sometimes anger stems from a simple misunderstanding. When we feel ourselves getting angry, we must remember that the emotion of anger is justified–it is okay to be angry! The information that our anger is based on, however, may be incorrect and so we must ensure that we haven’t misunderstood. The problem with anger is when our reactions are not appropriate. Using words or fists to hurt another person is never an appropriate outlet for anger.
What can we do then? First, ask yourself three questions: Why did I get angry? What did I do about it? What can I do differently? If possible, wait to react to the situation until you are more calm. Your reasoning will be me thorough and you are more likely to be satisfied with the outcome of the situation. Remember Proverbs 16:32–”He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” Discuss the situation calmly with other people involved, even if the others are more heated. Think about James 1:19–”Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath”–to be blunt, ‘shut your mouth and listen. Pray! The Holy Ghost can help you to remain calm, to forgive, and to find the right words to express yourself.
Of all these things, remember that everyone, even those whose actions dissatisfy you, are children of God–your brothers and sisters. “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:31-32).
I’d like to close with a quote from Howard W. Hunter: “We need to be slower to anger and more prompt to help. We need to extend the hand of friendship and resist the hand of retribution. In short, we need to love one another with the pure love of Christ … for that is the way God loves us” (Ensign, May 1992, 61).
