Choose not to become angry
Understand connection between agency, anger- Don't surrender self-control
A cunning part of Satan's strategy is to make people believe they are victims of an emotion that they cannot control, but "we can choose not to become angry," emphasized Elder Lynn G. Robbins.
Satan attempts to dissociate anger from agency, said Elder Robbins of the Seventy, but "understanding the connection between agency and anger is the first step in eliminating it from our lives."
Speaking Sunday afternoon, he explained that the family is Satan's primary target. "He damages and often destroys families within the walls of their own homes. His strategy is to stir up anger between family members.
"We hear, I lost my temper,' " Elder Robbins continued. "Losing one's temper is an interesting choice of words that has become a widely used idiom. Tolose something' implies not meaning to, accidental, involuntary, not responsible,' careless perhaps, butnot responsible.'
"This is a myth that must be debunked. No one makes us mad. Others don't make us angry. There is no force involved. Becoming angry is a conscious choice, a decision, therefore, we can make the choice not to become angry. We choose!"
Quoting from 3 Ne. 11:29 - "He that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil" - Elder Robbins said this doctrine or command from the Lord presupposes agency and is an appeal to the conscious mind to make a decision. "The Lord," he explained, "expects us to make the choice not to become angry."
Elder Robbins noted that anger is yielding to Satan's influence by surrendering self-control. "It is the thought-sin that leads to hostile feelings or behavior. It is the detonator of road-rage on the freeway, flare-ups in the sports arena, and domestic violence in homes.
"Unchecked, anger can quickly trigger an explosion of cruel words and other forms of emotional abuse that can scar a tender heart."
Physical abuse, said Elder Robbins, is anger gone berserk, and is never justified and always unrighteous.
"Anger is an uncivil attempt to make another feel guilty or a cruel way of trying to correct them. It is often mislabeled as discipline, but is almost always counterproductive."
Elder Robbins said choice and accountability are inseparable principles.
"Because anger is a choice," he said, "there is a strong warning in the Proclamation [on the Family] `that individuals . . . who abuse spouse or offspring . . . will one day stand accountable before God.'
"We can choose not to become angry," Elder Robbins reiterated. "And we can make that choice today, right now. I will never become angry again. Ponder this resolution."
