You can't ignore it, God tells us. You must address it truthfully, with the goal of healing your relationship with those around you. If you hang onto anger, you "give place to the devil."
This morning's Psalm (1928 Book of Common Prayer lectionary) is one of the best bits of Biblical first aid for anger. Read it s-l-o-w-l-y and let the LORD speak to your troubled heart.
Psalm 37:1-24
FRET not thyself because of the ungodly; * neither be thou envious against the evil doers.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, * and be withered even as the green herb.
Put thou thy trust in the LORD, and be doing good; * dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
Delight thou in the LORD, * and he shall give thee thy heart's desire.
Commit thy way unto the LORD, and put thy trust in him, * and he shall bring it to pass.
He shall make thy righteousness as clear as the light, * and thy just dealing as the noon-day.
Hold thee still in the LORD, and abide patiently upon him: * but grieve not thyself at him whose way doth prosper, against the man that doeth after evil counsels.
Leave off from wrath, and let go displeasure: * fret not thyself, else shalt thou be moved to do evil.
Wicked doers shall be rooted out; * and they that patiently abide the LORD, those shall inherit the land.
Yet a little while, and the ungodly shall be clean gone: * thou shalt look after his place, and he shall be away.
But the meek-spirited shall possess the earth, * and shall be refreshed in the multitude of peace.
The ungodly seeketh counsel against the just, * and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
The Lord shall laugh him to scorn; * for he hath seen that his day is coming.
The ungodly have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, * to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be upright in their ways.
Their sword shall go through their own heart, * and their bow shall be broken.
A small thing that the righteous hath, * is better than great riches of the ungodly.
For the arms of the ungodly shall be broken, * and the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
The LORD knoweth the days of the godly; * and their inheritance shall endure for ever.
They shall not be confounded in the perilous time; * and in the days of dearth they shall have enough.
As for the ungodly, they shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall consume as the fat of lambs: * yea, even as the smoke shall they consume away.
The ungodly borroweth, and payeth not again; * but the righteous is merciful and liberal.
Such as are blessed of God, shall possess the land; * and they that are cursed of him, shall be rooted out.
The LORD ordereth a good man's going, * and maketh his way acceptable to himself.
Though he fall, he shall not be cast away; * for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.
1 comment:
I have to add that in my office for years, when I pastored in the Church of God, Cleveland, there hung a home drawn plaque of Psalm 37.25,
"I have been young and now am old; * and yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread."
The key to "Feelin' Angry?" is "Righteousness!" which opens the windows of heaven and pours out upon us, God's wonderful grace... especially in our old age when we need it the most.
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