If we're serious about overcoming a vice like anger, it's not enough to just hope we'll be less angry. We need a strategy. Through our nightly examinations, we've pinpointed the triggers—certain people or situations that spark our anger. With this insight, we can plan our reactions and prepare for these interactions.
This proactive approach is our Plan A. But as the great philosopher Mike Tyson once quipped, "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." What's crucial isn't just sticking to the plan. Our ultimate aim isn’t merely to adhere to a strategy or even to cultivate patience. Our true goal is sainthood, holiness, and growing closer to God.
So, while Plan A is important, it's not the be-all and end-all. It’s not about blindly following the plan. Think of it more like a hunter tracking a deer, attentive and adaptive, always ready to follow new signs or change course. We need to remain open, listening for the Holy Spirit's guidance and looking for signs that we're still on the right path—or that He might be leading us in a new direction.
Imagine you're a weightlifter with a daily plan focused on back and biceps. If your spouse arrives home needing help with heavy groceries, you wouldn’t say, "Sorry, I’m only lifting weights today." You'd stop to help. After all, the purpose of your training is to be strong, fit, healthy, and useful, not just to tick off exercises on your workout schedule.
To drop another quote, Alfred famously asks Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins: “What’s the point of all those pushups if you can’t lift a bloody log?”
Similarly, what’s the point of all that time in prayer if we don’t attune ourselves to the Holy Spirit's promptings throughout the day?