Anger in one city...

Hi guys. This post isn't so much going to involve my thoughts on Acts 5 and 6. More, I want to bring up the issue of prayer, and praying for our city.

Yesterday I had an AP3 workshop. There were about 20 teachers in attendance and it was an all-day Saturday thing. There were moments for teachers to respond or contribute their comments about the material (educational psychology). As I've witnessed in my former workshops, teachers would contribute, but their responses were angry more often than not. The workshop environment quickly developes into a big angry mess, as one person is defensive from what another had to say. I find myself wanting an escape. I get tired of all of the overwhelming intensity. I know that there are so many reasons to be angry; Insecurity, the stress of the job, the inability to make up for what the parents have not provided, the lack of financial, physical, emotional, mental support for dealing with kids that are so messed up already, the traffic, the demands of home, etc. It's understandable, sure, but I don't want it to be acceptable. I find this anger in myself as well...earlier that morning I was cut-off in traffic and instantly had a few choice words to throw in the driver's direction.

During my drive home and detox from the workshop environment, I got to thinking about anger- it's stimulus and the result. A teacher in the workshop told me that just this week one of her students was jumped by two other students who beat him in the head with a pipe. He had to be airlifted because his injuries were to such an extent. It seems that "Survival of the Fittest" is the name of the game...If they don't get me first, then I'll get them. It's sickening and infectious. Research shows that young children will model the aggression that they see in their parents, hear in music, or watch on TV. I think satan delights in all of this...anger is a disease. It will spread and infect and destroy.

I was pretty sad yesterday...and felt very small in the midst of everything. I have a tendency to overthink things, and I was feeling that I just want to get away from it all (Miami feels much more angry than the midwest and I was wanting to pack my bags and leave tomorrow). I was praying and asking God, "What can one person do? What can a few people do? It's all too much." About that time, I was reminded that my hope is in Christ alone. I instantly felt relieved by that thought. Christ is my hope, and no matter what happens on this earth, I know that I am in God's hands- and He is big enough. There's something so freeing about that thought. I was challenged in my spirit to begin praying for this city...praying for Christ to intervene and not allow the darkness to stomp out His light. I was also praying that I would carry Christ's light into the darkness...that I wouldn't dim that light with my own angry actions. I don't want to become what I see...I want to act for Christ- to do something different. I must act for Christ if I want to diminish the anger, the violence, the hurt. Please join me in praying that God would rain down upon this city, scattering the darkness, and surrounding us with his strength when we, God's people, are feeling suffocated and alone; so that we might be something different, bolder in Christ, refreshing and bright- his light in this dark world.