The Cure for Road Rage

"The circumstances of life, the events of life, and the people around me in life, do not make me the way I am, but reveal the way I am." – Dr. Sam Peeples

Do you succumb to “road rage” from time to time? You know, that inexplicable sensation of instantaneous anger that wells up from the deep recesses of your soul when someone cuts you off in traffic or is driving too slowly in the left-hand lane when you are running late.

One minute you are as calm as a cucumber and the next, your face is flushed and you are ready to run the offending driver right off the road… or at the very least, to give him a big piece of your mind.

Come on, admit it. We’ve all been there.

Actually, my pet peeve, the one that makes my blood boil faster than you can say “Representative” is when you try to reach customer service on the phone but all you get is an unending series of voice prompts. My BP is normally 120/80 or lower, but after screaming “REPRESENTATIVE” in the phone a dozen or more times, I’m sure it is more like 140/100... or higher.

Here is what Os Hillman says about such situations…

“Anger only reveals what is inside of you. You can't blame anyone but yourself for your response to a situation. I have learned that anger is only the symptom of something else that is going on inside of me.”

“It has been said that anger is like the warning panel on the dash of your car. It is the light that tells us something is going on under the hood, and we need to find out what is the source of the problem. I discovered that the source of anger is often unmet expectations or personal rights. We believe we are entitled to a particular outcome to a situation. When this doesn't happen, it triggers something in us. At the core of this is fear, often a fear of failure or rejection, fear of what others think, fear of the unknown.”

“If you struggle with anger, ask God to reveal the source of that anger. Ask Him to heal you of any fears that may be the root of your anger. Ask God to help you take responsibility for your response to difficult situations.”

Not so coincidentally, a friend of mine recently sent me a book to read so I could help counsel his cousin with a behavioral problem he’s having. Guess what it’s called? “Uprooting Anger: Biblical Help for a Common Problem” by Robert D. Jones.

Who says that God doesn’t have a sense of humor?

“Be angry, yet do not sin. Do not let the sun set upon your anger.” Ephesians 4:26 (BSB)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President