The anger of Man

“The anger of man worketh not the righteousness of God (Jms 1:20).” I remember reading this verse when I was a new Christian and thinking “Um . . . aren’t Christians not supposed to get angry?” The verse made sense, and I tried to steer clear of any anger issues. However, as life would have it, my adulthood was spent with not-so-pleasant people at times, and in not-so-lovely circumstances. I would be surprised at the emotions that stirred their way up to my mind in the form of . . . yes, it was anger.

I also became familiar with Paul’s admonition to “be angry and sin not . . . don’t let the sun go down on your anger,” (Eph 4:26). Since I had found occasions in which I was angry, this verse seemed to be telling me to talk it out with the other person involved. I am pretty sure you have all experienced the time when talking does not correct anything, and in fact, it can make things worse. At the end of these talking sessions I would come away seeking God for an answer. I didn’t want to disobey Him by going to bed angry. And that is why I am writing this lesson; He gave me one of those it’s-going-to-be-hard . . . but-if-you-do-what-I tell-you-it-will-change-your-life lessons.

One day when I was telling the Lord how wrong a situation was, He asked me how I felt about it. God cares, and so He asks . . . not because He doesn’t know how we feel, but because we often don’t know all of what we feel. At that time I told the Lord I was angry, and that I couldn’t get past my anger. I asked for His help, and He said, “Helen, would you like My grace? I will give you grace if you don’t want to be angry. It’s your choice.” The anger had been tormenting me, so I chose His grace. Grace is different than peace. I wasn’t in a fuzzy warm glowing state of mind. But, I had clearness of thought, and I could pray objectively for the situation, and then from my heart for the other person involved.

After I had chosen grace a few times I thought that was my new M.O. I truly believed anger would not dominate my thoughts ever again. However, I began realizing that some situations were worse than others. They bothered me more. When the Lord asked me how I felt, it wasn’t so easy to exchange my anger for His grace. I’d find myself returning to the former thought-life of anger, and thinking I knew best how to “fix” the situation. During one of these thought sessions the Lord interrupted and said, “I will only give you grace if you truly want it.” Though I had forgotten this important lesson, the Lord was still extending His invitation to walk like Him, in His grace.

Shamed, I repented of thinking I knew better, and I gave up my anger for His grace. It changed me over time to repeatedly give up my right to anger, and to changing things my own way. In fact, it crucified me. I would see people do wrong things, or say awful things, and not be able to rectify the situation. But what began happening is that the Lord would drop His thoughts into my mind. Wisdom, understanding, insight and prophecy . . . even revelations would come. He prepared me to be effective in situations that formerly I had failed in, because of anger. Once I kept my commitment to abandon my flesh and anger along with it, I was able to walk in the Spirit, despite adverse circumstances. God trusted me with His heart in each situation.

The Bible says that we go from glory to glory (2 Cor 3:18). God’s intention is to transform our minds by sharing His thoughts with us. Yet we have to be trustworthy to receive His heart. He does not want an angry child of His wielding His words hurtfully at others. Rather, He intends on capturing others into His grace when we abide there as His messenger. God’s rewards to us are great, if we will exchange our anger for His grace. The first step is to go to Him in honesty, sharing our heart with Him and giving up our own way. What follows is a walk with our Lord, sharing His heart and His ways with us. God’s way is better. Amen