What is going on with the Golden State Warriors? They are still the most talented team in the NBA, and the favorites to win the Championship, but the storyline surrounding them is all about their players getting ejected and even suspended, as they’ve allowed frustration to take over.
They get mad at the refs and also allow their opponents to get them riled up. Kevin Durant seems to be a pretty soft-spoken guy, but he’s already been ejected three times this year, while Draymond Green, Steph Curry, and Shaun Livingston have been thrown out of games too.
Head coach Steve Kerr said, “We’re not composed out there. We’re a championship team. We have to be poised and we have to execute out there. We’re getting way too emotional, myself included. I have to do a better job of that, too. But you got to show some poise when things aren’t going our way.”
It’s perplexing to see the reigning champs so angry (especially this early in the season), and fans and media are wondering why they’re acting this way.
Maybe they expect to get every call...or other teams have figured out how to rattle them...or the pressure to win is too intense. Perhaps they aren’t satisfied with two Championships in the last three years, so their desire to chase another one is causing them to get mad about every wrong call made by the refs.
We don’t have all the answers, and some of these reasons might be off base, but there is no denying the Warriors are battling negative emotions right now.
Unfortunately, many of us can relate to similar feelings of anger and frustration in our own lives. We can easily lack poise and lose our cool at times.
Usually we act that way for similar reasons as the Warriors, such as expecting everything to always go our way...or allowing others to rattle us...or letting the pressure build up...or never being satisfied.
These may be excuses, but as followers of Jesus, we can’t justify these emotions taking over in our lives. Instead, we must rely on God's power to help us fight against these feelings.
The Bible makes it clear in James 1:19-20 (NLT): "Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires."
Proverbs 15:18 (NIV) says, "A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict,but the one who is patient calms a quarrel."
We’re challenged in Ecclesiastes 7:9 (AMP): "Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, for anger dwells in the heart of fools.”
Today, as work pressures build up, family responsibilities expand, and traffic doesn’t move, let’s not be an angry fool. Instead, let's rely on the peace of God to calm us...and His love to always satisfy us.
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I confess I lose my temper and allow frustrations and disappointing circumstances to make me angry. I pray I wouldn’t allow pressures and dissatisfaction to take over, but rather rely on Your peace and power to keep me calm. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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