Anger & Bitterness

By Anonymous -
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. Matthew 15:18-19

As I mentioned a month or so ago I am going through the Self-Confrontation Bible Study. I just finished up Chapters 10 - Dealing With Self (part two) and Chapter 11 - Anger and Bitterness. This whole study has not been fun, well I guess the point is not to have fun - but to grow. Growing can sometimes be painful, just like when we were kids and our legs ached at night...anybody remember that? So, I am growing - yes even in Winter! The Lord loves our pleas for his help in our lives and loves helping us dig, dig, dig into His word to reveal more of himself and to reveal more of ourselves to us. Which ultimately points us to our great need for Him!

Anger and Bitterness - along with laziness is where my heart is deep in struggle. Now there are just a million things and people to be bitter about/towards, or angered because of. The Bible does not say - "hey man, don't get angry." No, it says don't sin in your anger. Feelings are involuntary, we are human and we feel. However our actions and thoughts are not involuntary - we choose to do them. The Bible says that anger comes from within - the heart. (Matt. 15:18-19) The Bible also says, let all anger and bitterness be away from you and be kind (Ephesians 4:31-32). Which means that when we are angry and intense feelings rise within us, we can choose not to sin. That is seriously deep!

“Be angry, and do not sin”:do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Ephesians 4:16-27

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. James 1:19-20

Be angry, and do not sin.
Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah Psalm 4:4

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32

The most amazing thing I learned from this study is that I can be angry and I can decide not to sin. I seriously always felt out of control being angry and the things I did. When I become angry I have seriously intense feelings, thoughts and sometimes I choose to say or do lame things because of it. Now knowing that God's word commands me to put my bitterness and anger aside and choose to be kind - wow, that is amazing. I am so excited about that. To think that now I can in the moment where I feel overwhelmed and "out of control" I know that I can be in control of my thoughts and actions. I can ask the Lord to help me! Aha, another opportunity where I am praying for the fruits of the Spirit!

A fool vents all his feelings,
But a wise man holds them back. Psalm 29:11

May we be wise women, acknowledging the power of God's word in our lives and putting anger, bitterness, rage and malice aside and asking God to make us kindhearted, patient and quick to forgive!

The Glory be to the Lord for his ever faithful work in our hearts!
Elizabeth

Comments

  1. Jessica MooreThursday, September 30, 2010

    Thank you for these verses and encouragement. I love how you pointed out that the feelings are normal, but it's the actions that need to be governed. I had a conflict years ago that involved a business arrangement with friends. The effects on our family are lasting and I s-t-r-u-g-g-l-e with bitterness over that. I may never be able to resolve the original conflict (we have since moved). But I can put off bitterness. I can pray for them in kindness and generosity.

    These verses reassure me that managing my own heart, attitude, and words is enough. I've searched these verses and not one of them lay the burden on our shoulders of resolving a conflict with someone who has no interest in resolution! Praise God!

    What a relief. I have felt guilt for years because I could not speak the right words to make our ex-partners understand. But I don't have to. I simply need to forgive and continue in what God sets before me today. It's not quite that easy, because the ugly feelings rear their heads regularly, but it is hopeful that I only see the edict to manage my own heart and actions, and not those of another.



    Thank You Lord, and thanks Elizabeth for sharing this study on fb!!

    ReplyDelete

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