All photos courtesy of Unsplash
When I read the newspapers, watch the news, or just generally observe the behaviour and reactions of people in society, I become aware, very quickly, that the world is an angry place. I am not saying that this is unjustified, I am just noting what I see.
Beneath the surface in many lives is an irritation, an annoyance at what life is delivering.
There are a whole host of things that aggravate people:
- how people drive
- the response to the pressures of financial commitments
- the rising cost of living
- the frustration of coping with under-funded and overused public services
- the general pressures of life.
We live in a world where there are so many reasons to be agitated and angry.
I am sure that psychologically and physically, anger does not have a good outcome in people's lives. There may be some good side effects, such as increased adrenaline empowering you to protect yourself or giving you the motivation to do better and improve your situation, but the side effects of constant agitation and anger have got to negatively affect our health.
The question is - how do you cope? Is there an answer? Is there a way to see life through a different lens?
Interestingly, in the Bible, there is a statement that instructs people to ‘be angry and sin not’. This statement is not an open invitation to blow a fuse or to aggressively expression emotions, it is, rather, wise advice that there are times in life when anger is valid and appropriate. For instance, it is highly relevant and appropriate to be angry when evil things take place. I appreciate that evil is a concept that is pretty misunderstood in our current society but having said that most of us understand that hurting children, abusing people, manipulating people or taking advantage of and making money out of the vulnerable is absolutely wrong. This should make us angry.
However, other warning passages in the Bible make it clear that anger is damaging.
Colossians 3:8
But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
Ephesians 4:31
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
James 1:19-20
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
Note that anger tends to be in a list of damaging and hurtful emotions.
The Bible also teaches that God is angry with this world, Psalm 7. 11, and for good reason, too! We all do things that result in us hurting ourselves and others. Most people fail to see that sin (pride, greed, unfaithfulness, lies, selfishness, etc.) is the very thing that God warns us about in His word. Sin ends in death. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God, Romans 3. 23.
The Bible says that God's wrath will be poured out upon this world. Sin has consequences, and we are all accountable for how we behave and what we believe.
The Bible's message is that God has provided a way of escape from His judgment. God loves us and, like a loving parent, does not want us to be in trouble for sin. As a result, His anger was poured out on one person (His Son, the Lord Jesus) so that the rest of us could be safe and rescued from facing His wrath.
If you are an angry person, you need to think about why you’re angry. I challenge you to consider whether your anger is justified or just selfish.
I request that you consider and evaluate whether God should be angry with your behaviour.
Finally, I would ask you to consider whether God taking his anger and re-focusing upon His Son is something that you have learned to appreciate or value.
God still is offering forgiveness through His Son, Jesus. To benefit all you have to do is:
- Admit you need His forgiveness
- Change your thinking about God
- Accept that only God change your life
- Believe (trust in) the Lord Jesus Christ.
No comments
Post a Comment