Letting Go Of Anger

Letting Go of Anger

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

I was angry and I couldn’t shake it. Someone was intentionally speaking ill of a good friend of mine, and I wanted nothing more than to defend her. I knew that what was being said about her was not kind or even correct, and I wanted to put this other person in their place. I found myself thinking all sorts of not very nice things about this other person, imagining arguments I would like to start with them, and all this was happening nowhere else but in my own mind.

As the days wore on, I began to see how my anger toward this person was taking away from my own peace. I knew in this specific instance it was not my place to step in and say something. My role was to supportively listen to my friend and pray for her and the situation. I felt convicted over my harsh assessment of the other person and began to pray for God to do a work in her heart and life. As I prayed for both women, my heart softened. I remembered the humanness of the other woman and the fact that I am not perfect and am often in need of grace myself. Slowly my anger began to dissolve.

James reminds us not to let our emotions quickly escalate into anger, but to take the time to listen and consider the circumstances. We’re even given the reason why: because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires; it doesn’t produce the kind of fruit that shows others that we love God. And when we respond from a place of anger, we will often do and say things we’ll later regret. I know this truth all too well. I’ve also learned that if I bring my anger to God first, I respond to others in a much better way than if I quickly spout off. It allows for relationships to remain intact that could otherwise be damaged by my quick and harsh words.

— Kendra

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

Have you been holding a grudge against someone for what they’ve done to you or a friend? Instead of thinking negative thoughts about the person, pray for them.