The Sad-Mad-Bad Progression

Everyone experiences things that make them sad. We may feel sad about our mistakes, poor choices, missed opportunities, mistreatment of those around us, even the injustice in the world. When we linger in sadness, it can lead us to become mad about the thing we were sad about. We may become mad at the world, mad at life, mad at our own life, even mad at God. And if we look around us, we see that there are a lot of people who are definitely mad and angry.

Angry and mad people often take it out on those closest to them. Anger can turn into rage, where we hurt people and make things worse for ourselves and others. This will put us in places we don’t need to be, doing things we shouldn’t be doing. That’s when mad turns to bad.

We can have a holy anger and do something to address the wrong that is in the world. We can be mad at sin and how it hurts people, where we reach out to help people who are harmed. On the other hand, sad could lead to mad, and then mad could lead to bad, where unrestrained anger causes us to handle things in a very bad way.

When people allow sadness to progess to angry rage, they have no reason or logic. Pure emotion takes over and the results aren’t pretty. Instead of doing the right things, they do the opposite. Mad people make bad choices.

Instead of allowing sadness to progress to anger and eventually bad behavior, let’s gain control over our emotions at the very start- and it starts with controlling our thoughts.

We are demolishing arguments and ideas, every high-and-mighty philosophy that pits itself against the knowledge of the one true God. We are taking prisoners of every thought, every emotion, and subduing them into obedience to the Anointed One. II Corinthians 10:5 (The Voice, VOICE)

Let’s choose gladness over sadness. When we do, peace will result instead of anger, leading to right actions. We can be sad about injustice and wrong treatment, and do something about the bad that is the world. But our goal is always gladness and joy- for ourselves and others. This is the day the Lord has made- let us rejoice and be glad in it!