So Be It! by Pastor Naomi

Anger and God’s Forgiveness
The root of sinful anger grows in a heart that is self-centered and idolatrous. Because we live in a society that screams constantly about “rights” when our perceived rights are violated, we become angry. More than that God invites us to bring our injustices to Him and trust Him to set them right (Romans 12:19). The Bible says in Psalms 145:8 that “God is slow to anger.” We are glad that He is but knowing that He will take up our offense frees us from its burden.
“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:31-32.
The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy (Psalm 145:8). If the Lord treated us like we treat others, we might be in deep trouble. But the hallmarks of the Lord’s attitude towards all of us are compassion and graciousness. Let’s have the same attitude towards others.
“If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.” Proverbs 25:21-22. Sometimes our natural reaction to anger is to make life harder for our enemies, not easier. Not many people would want to cook a steak dinner for a burglar before sending him off with the things he’s stolen from you. That person would really be taken aback by such a response. The Word of God tells us even those who have hurt us we are to treat them with love and concern. The next time we want to lash out to someone who has hurt us, let forgiveness and love be our response.

In Ephesians 4:26-27, we are told to “be angry but do not sin.” This means that we can express our anger in positive ways, without letting it turn into hatred or revenge. We are also told in James 1:19-20 to be “slow to anger,” which means that we should think before we react in moments of frustration or rage. The long-term physical effects of uncontrolled anger include increased anxiety, high blood pressure and headache. Some anger is not good for the soul let alone the body.
Psalm 37:8-9 says, “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.”

Pray this Prayer:

Father, you have taken my sins and put them far away from me, as if I had never sinned, for the sake of Jesus, my Redeemer. Yet still I fall victim to anger, wrath, and malice towards others, despite Your loving example. I live in a world full of anger, and I find forgiving difficult. In times of violent emotions, help me remember Your ending forgiveness and treat others with the kindness and compassion that You show to me every day of my life. (The Everyday Guide to Prayer-Humblecreek)

Amen! SO BE IT 9.13.23. Send comments/prayer requests: Pastornaomi4god@gmail.com. JOYFUL House of Prayer, 2519 Quicksand Road, P.O. Box 856, Jackson, Kentucky 41339.