F4S: Ever been feelin’ angry at God, and askin’ Him why there is so much evil in this world.... in this world gone sideways? Have you suffered loss? I’ve been there before.
"For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God." James 1:20
Have you been lookin’ forward to something really cool, and then BAM!.. you find out last minute that it ain’t gunna happen.. like ever. It was gunna, and now it isn’t going to happen.
And then perhaps.. you started to pick yourself back up again.. and started looking forward to doing something else instead..... but then that too collapsed ..ain’t gunna happen now. Do you feel like He ditched you and is a million miles away... like you're non-blessable, unloveable, like He wants to hammer or ignore you, or just look the other way... like He's completely indifferent to you and your needs?
“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer. Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relieve. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.” Psalm 22:1-3
“O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me. So many are saying, ‘God will never rescue him!’ But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.” Psalm 3:1-6
“How long, O Lord, will you look on and do nothing? Rescue me from their fierce attacks. Protect my life from these lions! Then I will thank you in front of the great assembly. I will praise you before all the people.” Psalm 35:17-18
“’O God my rock,’ I cry, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies?’ Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, ‘Where is this God of yours?’ Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again – my Savior and my God!” Psalm 42:9-11
Why be angry at people made in God's image--you know, at saints or sinners? Choose to live free from ticked-off at people. You can do it, there's a Way. One Way -- it's through Jesus. "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice." Ephesians 4:31 "As churning the milk produces butter, and as twisting the nose produces blood, so stirring up anger produces strife." Proverbs 30:33 God says that death and life are in the tongue. Do you have trouble controlling what you say, or how you say it? If someone listened to how you talk, would they say you sound frustrated, angry, or joyous, upbeat and loving? God can help us. "We can't say we love God if we don't love one another; for love is God.." 1 John 4:7-8
Listen, because you and I are not perfect like Jesus is, we might feel and be unrighteously angry at times. Hey, it's okay to be angry at the evil around us -- that's only right (Christ expressed that at times--remember the religious leaders gouging folks in the place of worship?), but it is important for us not to let anger lead us into sin. We can do that by confronting our unrighteous anger rather than letting it fester. What do you do? How do you say no to your fleshly nature and attempt to stop being angry?
I had a cool younger sister named Kathy, but she got murdered decades ago in her home with a very small son there who saw it all happen. Then he with a broken heart of sorrow died in his twenties..on his birthday. Still don’t know who did it, but God does and He will deal with them. I can’t describe how if felt speaking at her funeral, and seein’ my parents get crushed by that.
God didn’t do that, He’s never done people or angels wrong. He won't turn you away or abandon you.
Remember Job in the Bible. He kept worshiping the Lord...after a whole lot of pain and loss happened. Ya might want to prayerfully meditate upon his conversations and book again. Go read chapter 3.
“Oh, why give light to those in misery, and life to those who are bitter? They long for death, and it won’t come. They search for death more eagerly than for hidden treasure.” Job 3:20-21
“Why is life given to those with no future, those God has surrounded with difficulties? I cannot eat for sighing; my groans pour out like water. What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true. I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; only trouble comes.” Job 3:23-26
Listen, I know it hurts, but I also know God is good and has a good plan in this stuff. I know He cares for you -- loves you gobs. I trust Him today. I believe that His plan is bigger, smarter, and better than my tiny plan. And I trust that He has a purpose in all this -- a good reason for what He’s allowed to happen. He did for Job. Go check out the end of his story. Give God something more to work with--give Him yourself okay.
The Bible says, “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.” Psalms 37:8
“Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.” Proverbs 14:29
“Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” Proverbs 19:11
“Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:9
God can handle your brutal honesty to Him. All of it.
So wants to hear from you.. straight from your heart.
Doesn't need some religiously stiff prayers, so non-personal and formal.
Wants you! Yup, near, made whole. Likes gettin' real kinda prayin' over merely "saying your prayers."
Sure. He totally gets it.. understands how you feel right now. Can heal and restore you.
"But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips." Colossians 3:8 #LoveIsPatient
"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Proverbs 15:1
What's most on the heart, will be most on the lips. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
"Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath." Ephesians 4:26 #AtTheEvil
"Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools." Ecclesiastes 7:9
Listen, because you and I are not perfect like Jesus is, we might feel and be unrighteously angry at times. Hey, it's okay to be angry at the evil around us -- that's only right (Christ expressed that at times--remember the religious leaders gouging folks in the place of worship?), but it is important for us not to let anger lead us into sin. We can do that by confronting our unrighteous anger rather than letting it fester. What do you do? How do you say no to your fleshly nature and attempt to stop being angry?
