Anger, another tool perhaps.

[rick]

Anger seems to me to be the effect of a cause /s that is out of my control, perhaps causes that were placed in motion from the beginning of creation who's destination was my front door.

Life's troubles seem to agitate me at times while at other times it rolls off my shoulders, the pursuit of happiness as outlined in the constitution of the United States I find is just another illusion / deception whether one is rich or poor that matters not, for we are all plagued with the same plagues in life.

When I think in terms of (  Rev 21:4  and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away. )

I can't help to think of ( Ecc 9:5  For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. )

Sometimes I think death is heaven, the dead know nothing, if one knows nothing how is it possible to feel pain or anything else for that matter ?

Dying is hard to do, dying to one's self is even harder, being dead is easy and as far as rewards are concerned I think of ( Joh 3:27  John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it have been given him from heaven.

Sometimes I feel like I'm in the matrix but when I think this way it always comes down to one more scripture ( 2Co 12:9  And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Well, no one said it was easy being in the potters hands but like scripture says, God's grace is sufficient for us and also for every day living until Christ returns or death knocks at our front door. 

[repottinger]

Yes, Rick, those are great verses that you cited. Here's something that I was just reading, and that I hope might possibly be pertinent and helpful to you (Romans 8:31-39 [AKJV]):
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Your brother in God's Christ,
Randy