by David Brenneman
"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you."Ephesians 4:31.
Are you struggling with memories of people who've treated you badly? Whether or not you deserved what they did to you, it may still hurt terribly and have continuing repercussions. And it may be difficult to stop thinking about it. Yet God instructs
you to cast off your anger and forgive. But how can you do so-especially if you've been disrespected, treated cruelly, or even outright betrayed? It's not easy, but it is necessary.
The best way to keep your heart from succumbing to bitterness is to see the Lord's hand in every circumstance that touches your life. Believe that He can work through whatever has been done to
you for your good and His glory- and praise Him. Because when you say to God, "My times are in Your hand" (Psalm 31:15), you acknowledge His ultimate sovereignty over your life and His good plan. You take the power away from your destructive thoughts and give Him room to heal your wounds, deliver you from bitterness, and set you free from whatever bondage is in your life. So regardless of what others have done, forgive them, trust God to vìndicate you in His time, and be grateful that He always has the last word.
Jesus, I will obey You and forgive- -help me to do so completely., Amen.
-Trusting God with Today. Dr. Charles Stanley.
"This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." James 1:19-27.
"The hearing ear and the seeing eye, The Lord has made both of them." Proverbs 20:12.
"Do not say, “I will repay evil”; Wait for the Lord, and He will save you." Proverbs 20:22.
It doesn't take much to find people bent on payback, bent on revenge, for even the most trivial of things. Look at how synonymous "Karen" has become concerning portraying women and now even men as dolts who's anger and self-righteous stances has become.
Lest we forget: "But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7. And: "I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds." Jeremiah 17:10.
So so many Christians as well neglect these truths. Read how the story ends. Read the letters to the Churches in the book of Revelation.
My Dear Reader what good is it to maybe gain personal satisfaction for a mere moment but lose out on what the Lord will have accomplished on your behalf that would be more than anything you could possibly have ever considered?
If we set aside whatever is going through our minds and do as commanded...praying for those who persecute you...we would do well. We would be going down the road towards the righteous life that God desires for us.
We likewise would do well to remember that what we read here as well as what else we received through God's Word on the subject aren't suggestions. They're not hints. They're not hacks to get what our sinful hearts are looking for.
We have what Jesus said.
We have to take up our own cross and follow Him. The character of Christ is to be our goal.
When anger rises...and by far nobody including myself are immune to it...we need to keep firm hold of the word of God in our hearts.
When we are letting unbridled anger rule we will always fail.
There is a thing as righteous anger. This isn't what we are talking about today. We need to really evaluate our situation before we are going to react or act in anger.
People the world over put Christians under a microscope.
People are ready to pounce on professing Christians for their behavior.
Then we also, as we read earlier, have the Lord Jesus Christ who examines our hearts.
For those who are saved...His Spirit resides within our hearts. He knows our thoughts and intentions.
Practice your Spirit empowered ability to be "quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger".
Broken things from the physical to the relational are strewn about our lives because of anger not held in check.
Consider before you take a step.
Consider before you speak a word.
Take up your own cross and follow Jesus.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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