Holding in your anger is like holding inflatable balls under the water.

Proverbs 29:1-27

Reference:  v.11  A fool gives vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. (NIV Bible)

Explore:  Holding in your anger is like holding inflatable balls under the water.  If you force an inflatable ball under the water it will try to push it's way back up to the top.  While holding one ball under the water creates a bit of a struggle, it is possible.  However, bring another ball in to the scenario and you have your work cut out for you.  With both balls vying to come to the surface you need to use your whole body to keep them down.  Add yet another ball into the challenge and it becomes almost impossible.  In fact, when you try to hold multiple inflatable balls under the water you will find that when you lose control all the balls will fly up and past the water's surface.

Application:  This is often true when we hold our emotions in as well.  If we don't deal with our hurt, pain and anger then it will only take one small additional obstacle for all the emotion to rise to the top.  I would often witness this in children that were going through a very difficult time in their homes.  They would be able to hold it all together until they were at school when someone would do something as simple as bumping their chair and then all their emotions would come tumbling out.  Not because they were worried about their chair but because it only took one small additional incident to bring all the balls flying through the surface.  If we are not wise at dealing with our emotions when they occur then we will not be able to control them in the end.  We can keep pushing them below the water but it wont take long before we can no longer keep them down.

Prayer:  Lord, it is a challenge for women and men alike to deal with honest emotions.  Help us to be wise and in control so that we deal with issues when they arise.  Amen.

What emotions are you holding in at the moment?  Is there something you need to deal with today?