Your Joy Isn't Fake and Your Anger Isn't Wrong

In The Lego Movie, Unikitty (a kitty with a unicorn horn) is a pink, bubbly character … until she’s not. When she faces her friend’s imminent demise, she transforms into a ferocious, furious fireball of energy and goes after the enemy.

When I first saw this movie in 2014, I wrote a response poem.

Unikitty

When I watched The Lego Movie,

I was surprised to see myself on the screen.

Off-kilter Unikitty, dedicated to always feeling happy,

Finally declares, “I can’t do it anymore!” 

And goes ballistic. I loved it. 

Years ago, when a friend mentioned that I dealt with anger,

I said, in disbelief, “I’m the happiest person I know!

I’m never angry!” 

How very unbalanced to always be happy, like

Thinking happy thoughts about bubblegum

At the dissolution of the world.

Better, far, to rejoice with those who rejoice,

And weep with those who weep.

For years I used Unikitty as a whip against myself, accusing myself of always suppressing my anger. 

Six years later, the Lord gave me a gift as I was praying. 

Instead of angry Unikitty as my true self, and happy Unikitty as the suppressed-and-unhealthy vision of myself, I felt like the Lord said, “Amy, you have them both inside of you. But it's not that one is a suppressed version of what you're really feeling. No! You actually get to carry joy and life. And then at times, in concert with the Holy Spirit, you moan and travail and weep and rage. But that doesn't make joyful, happy Amy either fake or suppressed. 

“Both of them are the true Amy, but they’re different roles at different moments.”

Because I didn’t have language in 2014 to describe the righteous anger rising up, I didn’t know I could say, “As an intercessor, sometimes I need to pray against injustice.”

I’m so thankful for the ways the Lord offers clarity and grace.

Thank you, Jesus, that you care about this broken world. 

I think of the surprising story in John 2. In the temple courts, you found people “selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.” So you “made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle;” you “scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.” To those who sold doves, you said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”

I love that your disciples remembered then that the scriptures said, “Zeal for your house will consume me,” or, in my favorite translation, “The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.” 

Thank you for the ways that we get to be carriers of your caring. We want to be like you, Lord. Teach us your ways. In your holy name, amen.

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you,

Amy Joy

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