Is Anger Part of Your Story?
“In anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold” ~~ Ephesians 4:26-27.
That is God’s Word to you and me. Of course, we think we know what anger means. Yet, …
Who is Writing Your Story? …
In Robert D. Jones book, Uprooting Anger he defines anger as “a universal problem, prevalent in every culture, experienced by every generation.” So the question remains, what is this problem called anger? And how do we clean out “our heart” so that anger cannot survive? Are you willing to sit with the Lord and ask Him, “Why am I bitter towards You, others, or myself? Do I have unmet expectations or maybe a false sense of control? Do I lash out at others with my words? Am I guilty of striking others in a rage? Does fear play a role in my becoming angry?
Are you willing to ask these types of hard questions? If you answered “yes” maybe it is time to ask “When did I become so angry towards myself, others, and God? How can I begin to let go of past hurts, offenses, and wounds? Is it possible to live at peace in this troublesome world?
Oswald Chambers Offers This Advice …
“Let the past rest, but let it rest in the sweet embrace of Christ.”
Many times, we are quick to blame others and unwilling to take responsibility for our own thoughts and actions. We blame God for our shortcomings, and we make the choice to play the role of “the victim.” Therefore, our shortcomings are someone else’s problem, not ours! How does living like the victim honor and glorify God? Are you willing to be intentional in your daily thought life? Start by asking yourself this question: Do my thoughts and words bring honor and glory to God?
How Do We Make the Change? …
Pastor Richard Baxter emphasizes that anger “comes from within.” It proceeds from “out of the heart” and it always includes a “negative emotional response.”
Worldliness is all around us; so how do we cleanse ourselves from lustful and evil thoughts that penetrate and manifest in ways that take us further away from the presence of the Lord, His holiness, and manifest themselves as anger? Don Carson once observed, “for no one drifts towards holiness.”
Are You Ready? Let’s Start Today! …
First...
We must be willing to submit ourselves to God. Then resist the devil, and he will flee from you, as the Bible teaches in James 4:7. We must be willing to resist our fleshly ways, submit to the Lordship of Jesus, our Savior, and humble ourselves before Him --- trusting that His promises are true. We must start there. Do these things, then the Bible says that evil will flee from us.
Second …
First Peter 2:11 tells us to “Abstain from sinful desires that war against your soul.” You may ask yourself, how do I abstain from sinful desires? For myself this means that I must daily be honest with what am I thinking and believing, and consider whether I react or respond to others out of love. And frankly sometimes this is really hard for me, especially in the heat of the moment.
Third …
The Bible instructs us in James 4:8 to be willing to “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” Drawing near to God means we must be willing to spend time with Him and bring every negative issue of the heart to Him. He wants us to express our feelings to Him in prayer. Share with the Lord what causes you to become unforgiving, bitter, and angry. The Lord can and will heal these broken places deep within your being as He has mine, but if only you will let Him. I had to learn to really lean on Him and trust the Lord. This was difficult for me at first. It was a process whereby I allowed Him to uncover many layers of why I felt that I could not trust Him with my life. Only through drawing near to Him daily has He been able to uproot deeply held, false beliefs and replace them with the truths of His love, forgiveness, mercy, and grace.
Fourth …
We must humble ourselves before the Lord. When we do that, the Bible says in James 4:10 that He will exalt us. We must be willing to surrender each heart motivation to Him, repent of our sins, and commit our lives fully to the Lord. When we become willing to change from our own desires to His, then we have perfect peace.
Join Me …
Let’s rewrite our story! Let’s be intentional to become peacemakers. Let’s learn to start recognizing what things cause us to become angry so we can head off those angry responses before they become roots of bitterness that defile our hearts and the lives of those around us. Let’s allow the Lord to shift our reactions of anger, bitterness, wrath, and rage to having thoughts of love and compassion. Let’s humble ourselves and live lives that honor and glorify God.
Finally, let’s intentionally take time to read the Bible, pray, and lean into the only One that can HEAL, RESTORE and REDEEM our hearts!
Pray With Me, Heavenly Father …
I desperately want to honor and glorify You daily with my thoughts, words, and actions. However, I fall short. I fail to do those things. I now repent of my failures, and I ask You, Lord God, to draw near to me and help me. I repent of my worldly desires. I want to pursue holiness. Change my heart, O God. Lord, I am desperate for your mercy and grace. Remove the roots of anger and bitterness that I have towards You, others, and myself. Replace those lies of the enemy with Your truth about who I am and Who You are. Fill me now with Your Holy Spirit, Your joy, and peace. Help me to become a peacemaker in the midst of an angry world. I purpose to CHASE AFTER YOU from now on! In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
Scripture Passages for Reference …
“Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs" ~~ Proverbs 19:11.
"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" ~~ James 1:19-20.
"Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you" ~~ Ephesians 4:31-32.
"Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven" ~~ Luke 6:37.
-Elizabeth Bowman