Tag: anger

“Anger is the fluid that love bleeds when it gets cut.”

~ C.S. Lewis

Anger. Wrath. Vengeance. Judgment. Fury.

What do we do with God’s darkest moods?

Do we avoid the Bible’s offending verses? After all, a God with deep passions is embarrassing to indifferent humanity.

Or maybe we see his anger as divine permission to luxuriate in our own cranky moods.

Some of us want nothing to do with the wrath of God and have left him for a gentler version of our making. An invented god is less confusing, but useless in the face of evil.

Consider a God incapable of anger and shudder as the predators have their way. The problem isn’t anger, it’s blindness to what the focus of fury should be.

Anger is uncomfortable. So we douse it with donuts, drink and denial. We defer it and dismiss it, to the detriment of our souls. Like live coals placed in our hands, without a safe receptacle fury will burn us.

The safe receptacle is God. On the cross, all the violence the world had hoarded was poured out on his beloved Son. Christ’s victory means this: Our darkest desires, most vengeful thoughts, every memory of  bitterness and betrayal can be safely entrusted to his care. In exchange for our fury, we are given the power to “overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12: 21)

Necessary Anger

Why is God’s anger necessary? Evil is an alien intruder within God’s good Creation. But as Solzhenitsyn reminds us, “The battle line between good and evil runs through the heart of every man.” Our every unkind word, selfish action, and unholy thought cruelly slashes God’s  beautiful design. We are defacers and abusers–none of us excepted. So God does what is necessary to pry our bloody fingers from evil’s cunning blade.

And wipes them clean with his tears.

God’s righteous anger is the perplexing evidence of true love.

Have you been confused by God’s anger?

 Of the Seven Deadly Sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past…in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. ~Friedrich Buechner

Anger: 1. The fit and proper response of God to evil and injustice. wrath. 2. A permanent disposition toward someone who has wronged you, bitterness. 3. The ongoing resentment toward those who fail to live up to your standard, outrage.

Has there ever been a time when so many have stayed so angry for so long for so little reason? What good has it done?

We love anger, it tastes so good, but it is well named as one of the Eight Deadly Thoughts that keep us from love.

Don’t misunderstand. We were made to share in God’s anger–the healthy, right response to cruelty, to all that destroys his good creation. If nothing matters enough to shake our complacency, there’s something wrong. But anger can be dangerous to our souls,

• If it is without focus, splattering over everyone we encounter.
• If it is chronic, unresolved because of something in the past.
• If, in protest against evil we become evil ourselves.
• If we’re convinced we are the judge and the standard–others must believe and behave as we do, or they deserve our wrath.

Antidotes to Anger

1. The sun is setting, it’s time to quit. What if every sunset is a can’t-miss-it reminder to release into God’s keeping all that frustrates your heart? Take a few moments each evening to repeat the words of Jesus, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do, until your heart is tuned to his.
2. I’m angry, but I’m not answering the door. The devil, suitcase in hand, rings your doorbell the minute anger is stirred. Address your anger directly to God and the devil will flee.
3. I’m only responsible for me. Turn your focus from what “they” are doing to what you can do to overcome evil with good.
4. This is my Father’s world. If anger has a grip on you, take a walk outside and let creation remind you–new growth is often hidden by the dead and decayed.
5. “God knows I’m angry, I’m not alone.” Read Romans 12 and Ephesians 4:17-5:2 and allow God’s words to reshape your thinking.

What antidotes to anger can you share?

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