Theme of the Week: Anger into Mercy
Bible Verse: “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11
Scripture Reading: Galatians 5:16-25
Let’s admit it, we are all angry people, and that is a good thing!
Many times, however, a crisis like our current one may trigger the ugliest expressions of our sinful hearts into burstings of a wrong kind of anger. That’s right: there is a wrong kind of anger and a right one, as Paul exhorts the church of Ephesus to “Be angry, and do not sin.” (Eph 4:26)
All of us are in the same boat. It’s just plain hard to do anger right. At some point in each day, you are probably affected by some form of anger gone bad—either your own or someone else’s.
This week, we will explore this topic of anger. It doesn’t matter where you find yourself today in the anger-expression spectrum. It may be expressed as small frustrations or complaining, or it a subtle passive-aggressive attitude. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, it could be an intense act of hostility or violence.
The good news is that anger is not a problem to solve.
During this COVID-19 crisis, as I’ve prayed, I’ve asked God to put a mirror in front of me so I could see my heart as He sees it. The Lord led me to Galatians 5. I saw many things in my heart that were not pretty. I also saw something that brought me hope – where there is a contrast, there is a way.
Like any other human capacity, anger can be redeemed. As we grow in Christ, with His Spirit at work in us, our anger can lead us to significant acts of mercy and goodness.
Start this week by putting yourself in front of “the mirror” and asking God to show you your heart as it is. Then, remind yourself of the hope we have in Christ that “such were some of you.” (1 Cor 6:11)
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