I recently posted a Facebook status in response to some personal things that frankly, really anger me .
And in my mind, rightly so!
It’s not prudent or even worth sharing the nitty gritty details here but I can share how I responded to those details.
I thought it’d be a good lesson for #SLF readers, because I have no doubt that righteous anger is something we all deal with.
It’s a very human emotion, anger, and when it feels justified, more dangerously, it’s a seductive emotion.
Satan loves to wrap us in cocoons of anger, frustration, sadness, and despair. He knows that’s not God’s Will for us, so He uses every opportunity to thumb his nose at God.
We just happen to be the little gooey boogers he flicks around while doing it.
Did You Know Anger Can Turn into Sin?
Even righteous anger that feels 100% justified.
Hard to imagine, but it’s true.
The problem is that anger is a temptation that can lead us to acting in sinful ways.
Ephesians 4:26- Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.
I’m guessing about now you’re wondering about that Facebook post I mentioned. See below.
I am constantly NEWLY amazed at the lengths people in this world will go to, to lie, to twist facts, and to manipulate history and other people to suit their own agendas and needs, regardless of how inaccurate those facts may be, or how much it hurts or offends other people.
It really makes me angry and while it feels like a righteous anger, even righteous anger can be seductive and very bad for your Spirit. I know this and you should too if you ever struggle with something like this.
Satan will use EVERY opportunity he can find to lead you quickly down a path of sin, to an abandonment of faith and God’s commands to love people. All people. And yes, that means even your enemies.
Joyce Meyer Ministries puts it well- even if you don’t feel love in your heart, you can still BEHAVE WITH LOVE, by your actions and words, and the hope is that eventually your emotions will follow. Or they will at least get to a place of compassion or understanding, over anger.
My friend Christina summed it up quite well… it gives new meaning to the old adage- kill ’em with kindness. hehe
Behavior like this is very sad on so many levels, and honestly, instead of being angry and hating people like that, no matter how justified it may feel in the moment, better they should be pitied and prayed for, because they are obviously very far from God and need some divine intervention from our Heavenly Father.
Is it easy? Hells bells no. You will likely need every bit of restraint your frail body possesses to turn the other cheek to the people who wrong you. It will be massively hard to attempt to behave well regardless.
And no doubt your initial prayers will be very stilted and grudging, because it may be hard to find kind words to speak over people who mean you ill.
But it can be done. If Jesus could do it under significantly more horrid duress, then I can do it, and I know you can too.
Just my 2 cents for the day, hope it speaks to some of you. xo
Love People the Way Jesus Loves People
Leviticus 19:18 Don’t seek revenge or carry a grudge against any of your people. Love your neighbor as yourself. I am God.
Jesus and the Word teaches us to love others, even when it might suck to do so.
It’s not always easy, or fun, or appealing to our sense of justice, but that doesn’t matter.
Besides, where does anger (even the justifiable kind) get you at the end of the day?
Usually nowhere.
You feel like crap, your joy and peace are gone, and the people who caused the anger continue about their business and couldn’t care less how upset you are.
It’s a wasted emotion that drains you more than anyone else.
Obeying God and behaving in a way that honors Him is what truly matters in the day to day and is what shows God that you have the strength of character He is looking for in His followers.
It shows Him a strength of character built to withstand Satan’s onslaught. The kind of strength that boots his arse where the sun don’t shine with a quickness.
And it’s that kind of strength of character that serves as a light to others… showing them there is a better way to live, to behave, and that following Christ and His teachings means you act with kindness, treat people with respect, and respond with a little forethought.
What being a follower of Christ doesn’t mean is going around, attacking others like a crazy lunatic, seeking retribution for every slight against you, and touting God’s Word with your lips, but personifying the Devil with your actions.
When you do that, you’re just seen as a hypocritical Bible thumper and give the many people eager to knock your faith, the legs they’re looking for to run screaming in the other direction.
There’s certainly no glory to God in that.
Over to You
Do you struggle with self-righteous anger? Are there people who treat you poorly or seek to purposely hurt you or those you love, that you feel justified in your anger against? Where does that road usually lead you, at the end of the day? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
