What do you do when you are angry? What does it lead to?

There is so much anger in the world. There is the personal anger we feel for someone who has taken advantage of us, who has cheated us, or abused us. There is national anger we feel when something affects us as a country. The recent demonetization has angered so many ordinary people. There is anger towards our political leaders and at times towards leaders who lead us in the church.

We feel angry when we feel we have been exploited, or ignored or neglected. And there is the anger we feel toward God Who has mistreated us or, in neglect, has allowed others to mistreat us.

Do you feel like yelling and screaming about something, but were afraid the listeners would get angry with you or would stop talking to you.

There is so much anger seen around us every day, we see people express it, suppress it, or channel it in the wrong directions. Sometimes people go to psychiatrists to seek counselling to overcome their anger.

When I don’t deal with my anger, it leads me to sin against people and God both.

Psalm 109:8-14
8 May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership.
9 May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.
10 May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes.
11 May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.
12 May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children.
13 May his descendants be cut off, their names blotted out from the next generation.
14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD; may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.

The question we need to ask this morning is: Q. Do we pray about our anger.

We do not like to bring our anger to God in prayer. In fact, we have a hard time praying when we are in anger leave alone bringing our anger in prayer.

However, the entire book of Psalms is full of anger; at times towards self, people, and even God.

Psalm 83:13-17
13 Make them like tumbleweed, O my God, like chaff before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15 so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your storm.
16 Cover their faces with shame so that men will seek your name, O LORD.
17 May they ever be ashamed and dismayed; may they perish in disgrace.

In this Psalm written by Asaph, he expresses his anger towards the enemies of his nation and prays to God to deal with them. God did destroy Israel’s enemies.

Happy are you if you did not know what this psalm is about. But most people have a real personal enemy, someone who genuinely hates them, someone who truly makes life miserable and unbearable for them. There are those who even have someone who has ruined them for life, crippling them emotionally through one of the many forms of abuse.

As a disciple, who is our real enemy; do I need to mention his name? He is at war with God and wants to destroy His people.

Prayer is the most powerful thing one can do to deal with anger towards our enemies. Prayer is not just words that we speak to God; it’s an action.

Challenge

a) Pray through Psalm 83.

b) Write down some of the things you are upset and angry about, also the people you are angry with and talk about it with God in your prayer.