Examining a Fault

You remember that fault I mentioned a few days ago? I think I'm ready to dwell on it now. Or, rather, I'm ready to examine it and try to think of ways to overcome it. The problem is that I get frustrated/annoyed/irritated far too easily. I have a bit of a short fuse. And while I don't "blow up" very often (at least, not at people), I have enough trouble controlling my anger that I know that I need to learn some strategies for overcoming it. Fortunately, I already have.

One solution is to let the negative emotions out in non-harmful ways. Some people accomplish this by yelling, but I don't want to use that as a solution. Yelling and swearing when one gets irritated can become a habit, and I don't want to get into the habit of raising my voice or saying this I wouldn't want my Mom to hear me say. Thankfully, there are other outlets. Some people unleash their emotions through art or games or physical activities. I've found one way to discharge negative energy harmlessly, and it works for me, when I remember to do it.

For times when I don't want to let my bad feelings out, perhaps because I don't want to let them show, I can practice another exercise: breathing. Breathing deeply and evenly can be a good way to calm oneself down and release negative emotions in a way that's more spiritual than physical. Many forms of meditation and prayer involve controlled breathing, and if we can control our breathing, we can also reduce our heart rate and control ourselves.

Of course, actual prayer helps, too. Turning to God is a good way to tap into His power of self-control and His patience, helping us to gain some patience and self-control as well. God can helps us overcome any and every weakness and shortcoming, including any frustration-management issues we may have. As I turn to God, He can help me overcome all of my faults and weaknesses, including this one.

I know that these methods won't immediately solve my problem. I expect to keep wrestling with this issue for as long as I can learn from it. But eventually, with God's help, I know I can overcome it. No fault or failing is a permanent part of me, so it makes no sense for me to dwell on my faults as if they make me a bad person. Everyone's human, and every human can become perfect. I can overcome my faults and weaknesses. As long as I work diligently, it's only a matter of time.