You know this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Now everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve righteousness. - James 1:19 (NASB)
After becoming a follower of Christ, I thought God’s glory would automatically cause me to become “glowy” and appropriate at all times - but not so. I have discovered I still have an old nature that will creep up on me. I recall, early in my new walk with the Lord, I heard a sermon - it was as though the pastor knew me and the anger I had been storing. The message made me angrier, and the pastor was no longer my favorite person. If I stewed long enough I would not like that church any longer. Could it be that exposing my anger was the part of me God wanted to change? Hadn’t I changed enough already? I truly battled with surrendering another part of my will, to God’s will for my life.
Because His word is living, and I am His, I was able to be conformed into His likeness - at least recognizing why I was angry, believing what He was teaching me, and knowing the difference between righteous, and unrighteous behavior.
I think of anger like a rubber band being pulled back; life is pulling us back; our sinful nature will stretch out with words and experiences, and then at some point a slingshot word, or action shoots out of us -which may not be what the scripture intended as “achieving righteousness.”
Our Savior whose Spirit lives in us will work through us to help when our human nature stretches, and needs the gentle release of His Spirit. His Righteousness is achieved as He leads us to be a hearer, and a speaker of His truth.
Relevant reading: Philippians 4:13 (NKJV), Ephesians 4:22-32 (ESV), Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV), James 1:22 (ESV)
As a doer of the word are there any truths of God’s word that cause you to be angry? If so, seek His will for you to understand, and ask Him to strengthen you to change what needs changed within you.
This devotion by author, Terrie Miles, is exclusively and solely shared with permission to New Beginnings Church. Any unauthorized printed reproduction, sharing or use of this material is prohibited.
