Lessons for Life with James Long, Jr.
Are you longing to find answers to the deeper issues of life? Join James, a pastor, counselor, and university professor with over 30 years of experience. Hear James as he tackles some of life's biggest questions and helps us find God's solutions to life's struggles. Learn the power of living by God's grace and for His glory. Experience the joy of forgiveness and freedom found in Jesus Christ alone. If you are on a search for freedom, you will love being part of this conversation. Subscribe, and enjoy the show!
Lessons for Life with James Long, Jr.
Changing Our Angry Behavior: The Dangers of Concealing Sinful Anger
Can concealed anger be as damaging as an angry outburst? Discover the biblical insights into managing hidden emotions effectively and learn how to replace anger with virtues like compassion and kindness. Through passages from Leviticus and Ephesians, we uncover the dangers of letting anger fester and explore the truth behind confronting emotions honestly to nurture spiritual growth and improve our connections with others.
Explore the transformative power of forgiveness in Christianity as we delve into scriptures from Ephesians, Colossians, Matthew, and Mark. God's forgiveness not only sets a standard for us but also offers profound relational and spiritual benefits. We'll discuss the pitfalls of withholding forgiveness, such as harboring bitterness and assuming the role of judge, and how embracing forgiveness aligns us with divine grace and fosters empathy and humility.
Equip yourself with practical, biblical strategies for anger management that promote peacemaking and reconciliation. Discover the importance of self-control and godly speech in conflict resolution, and the role of scriptural study and community support in transforming relationships. We conclude with a heartfelt prayer, inviting listeners to seek God's strength and guidance on their journey toward peace and understanding. Join us for a spiritually enriching episode that encourages aligning your heart with divine wisdom.
ABOUT JAMES AND LESSONS FOR LIFE
Are you longing to find answers to the deeper issues of life? Join Dr. James Long, Jr., a pastor, counselor, and university professor with over 30 years of experience. Hear James as he tackles some of life’s biggest questions and helps us find God’s solutions to life’s struggles. Learn the power of living by God’s grace and for His glory. Experience the joy of forgiveness and freedom found in Jesus Christ alone. If you are in search of freedom, you will love being part of this conversation. Subscribe, and enjoy the show!
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Welcome back to Lesson 6 in our series, uprooting Anger. Now, over the past several weeks, we've been doing a deep dive into what the Bible teaches us about anger, and what we've been seeing is its roots, its consequences and how we can uproot anger in our lives. We've explored how anger isn't just an emotion but a whole person response, a response that often reveals something going deeper inside of us. Now, the last time, we talked about how anger reveals itself in our behaviors and how it often points to hard issues, a misalignment with God's will and a failure to seek God's glory and others' good, and we looked at biblical strategies to transform our sinful anger into Christ-like responses. Today we're going to do a deeper dive and talk about how a behavior can be just as dangerous the behavior as stuffing our anger. Now we think of outbursts of anger as bad, but concealing our anger can be just as bad. And have you ever been angry and decided to stuff it down, to pretend that it wasn't there? Maybe it's thought that if I ignore it it'll just go away? Now here's the hook. Concealed anger is like a ticking time bomb. It doesn't just disappear, it simmers, it grows and eventually it manifests itself in ways that you might not expect Now. Today we're going to explore what happens when we hide our anger and what Scripture tells us about this, and then the practical steps to deal with it biblically.
Speaker 1:So, before we dive in, let me pray for you, father. I want to thank you for who you are and whose we are. I want to thank you for the fact that you are a loving and gracious God. You're also a God who has anger and wrath for sin and, Father, I pray that you would help us to try to negotiate what it means to be biblically righteous in our anger. I pray today that we would recognize that concealing our anger is not biblical, it's not righteous and it causes such great problems. So please do a work in us, lord, and please do a work through us. Help us to honor you and reflect you in all that we say and all that we do. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Okay, so hopefully now you can still hear me and let's go into lesson number six, and lesson number six is so important. One of the things that we're going to be doing is learning about how we need to stop concealing our anger, so I want you to consider these passages Now.
Speaker 1:There are two key passages that we want to look at here In Leviticus, chapter 19, verses 16 through 17,. It says you shall not go around as a slanderer among the people. You should not stand up against the life of your neighbor. I am the Lord, your God. You shall not hate your brother in your heart and you shall reason frankly with your neighbor lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. So now this passage.
Speaker 1:If we think about this passage from Leviticus, this passage speaks directly to the issue of hidden anger and unresolved conflict. Now it's easy to think of avoiding confrontation or keeping our anger inside ourselves is a better route, but what God's word says is that you shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor. This is a call to confrontation, not in a way to stir up more anger or tension, but a way to seek the truth and reconciliation. God instructs us to deal with our anger directly, with honesty and clarity, rather than concealing it and allowing it to fester in our hate into hatred or to bitterness. And why is that? Because when we let anger sit, it bears grudges and it becomes like a poison in our heart and it leads to further sin. We may not even lash out immediately, but over time, concealed anger turns into resentment and slander and vengeance. And instead of festering anger in our hearts, we are called to love others. Remember, we're called to be patient, we're called to be understanding, we're called to commit to resolving conflicts. So I want you to remind yourself of this that hidden anger is never harmless. It is like a seed left unchecked that will grow into something destructive. And God is clear unresolved anger is a barrier not just to our relationships with others, but also our relationship with God.
Speaker 1:Now, the second passage here from Ephesians, chapter 4, verses 26 to 27 and verses 30 through-5.2, says Be angry and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down in your anger and give no opportunity to the devil and do not grieve. The Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed in the day of redemption, let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore, be imitators of God as beloved children and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God.
Speaker 1:Now that passage in Ephesians is a powerful reminder that, while we may feel angry, we're not allowed to take root in our hearts. It says in your anger, do not sin. It's okay to feel angry, but the danger comes when we allow it to linger and to simmer in our hearts. And when we do, we're giving the devil an opportunity to use that anger to lead us to greater sin, bitterness, wrath or malice. Now what Paul also warns us is that unresolved anger grieves the Holy Spirit. It hinders the spiritual growth and our ability to reflect Christ to those around us. Instead, we're called to put away anger, put away bitterness and malice and replace them with kindness and compassion and forgiveness, just as God has done for us in Christ. Christ has shown that to us Now.
Speaker 1:This passage is a call to action not to let our anger linger in our hearts. Don't give it room to take root and to grow into something harmful. Instead, deal with it quickly and your hearts will be filled with love and forgiveness that comes from Christ, because when we walk in love, we imitate Christ, and we will find that there is a freedom that comes from releasing anger and embracing peace. Now, these two passages give us a clear biblical framework of how we should handle our anger. Rather than burying it, we're called to address it openly and honestly, seeking resolution and reconciliation. Anger left to simmer will lead away from God's will for our lives, and when we choose to confront it biblically, we walk in freedom and grace and love.
Speaker 1:So I want you to consider this next thing. I want to give you some strategies of how you can deal with your anger in a godly way. One of the first ones is this I want you to see that the sinfulness and the ugliness of bitterness of heart and concealing it is so terrible, and so we need to start with this. I want you to see that, as concealed anger happens in our heart, it's not just an emotional issue, but it's a spiritual one which is so very hard for us to understand. When we harbor bitterness in our heart, we're essentially allowing idols to rule our heart, and the idols of control or comfort or even revenge.
Speaker 1:Now Robert Jones is pointing out that, while some of us may desire things that are not evil in and of themselves, they will become sinful when we allow them to take over our hearts. These desires can lead to bad masters, and they will lead us to hide our anger rather than to deal with it directly. We see this throughout scripture that concealing anger grieves God. It disrupts relationships and can even cause physical harm, and when we hide our anger, we're also usurping God's role as judge. So the first step is to recognize the damaging aspects of controlled anger or concealed anger, and when we do that, it causes issues in our relationship with God. It causes issues with our relationship with others and it will even affect ourselves. Now, when we reflect on this, I want you to take time in a journal to specifically think of ways in which concealed anger has harmed areas of your life. Now I want you to ask others maybe your spouse or close friend for their perspective as well, because it is so important to be able to understand that this is something that is hidden deep in our hearts and it can be something that can be really challenging.
Speaker 1:The second point is that we need to turn to Jesus in repentance and faith. And we do that, we will believe fully that he forgives us. He not only fully forgives us, but he frees us. And this practical step is so important because if we turn our eyes towards Jesus in faith and belief, he promises to forgive us. He says in 1 Corinthians that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. See, once we've recognized the sinfulness of our concealed anger, we need to turn to Jesus and turn to him Now. This is where transformation begins, and this is the beauty of the gospel that Christ died and rose for sinners, not just for those who explode in their anger, but also for those who clam up and hide their anger. Christ's grace is more than sufficient to forgive you of your bitterness and he has the power to change your heart. Now many people struggle with overcoming anger because they doubt God's transformative power and transforming grace. But scripture tells us that he can not only forgive us, but he can also melt away bitterness and he can give us the strength to forgive others. He says that in Mark 11, chapter 25. And the key is to believe that God's grace can both forgive you and transform you.
Speaker 1:Forgive your offender from the heart. Now this leads to this so important place that when we've seen throughout scripture that God's forgiveness is there, at the very heart of the gospel. He has forgiven you all your sins. Christ forgave us while we were still sinners and now we're called to forgive others in the same way. But the reality is, very honestly, that forgiveness is not easy. It's not easy and it's not quick, and we may say it this way, I can't forgive him for what he's done to me and maybe you've been there but I want you to know that scripture tells us that you must forgive, and because we have made forgiving far greater debt, we must forgive people. And when we refuse, what ends up happening is, essentially, we're saying that we don't need God's forgiveness at all in our lives.
Speaker 1:So I ask you, who are you holding a grudge against today? What bitterness is lodged in your heart? You're called to forgive, not out of your own strength, but out of the empowering work of Christ in you, that God wants to do a work in you and through you. In a great passage in Matthew, chapter 6, it says forgive our debts as we have forgiven our debtors, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others, their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others, their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you. I want you to consider this Now. What happens if I don't choose to forget Now? Maybe you're in that position where it talked about forgiving from the heart, but maybe you're saying I don't know if I want to forget Now.
Speaker 1:Forgiveness is one of the hardest commands, yet it is central to our walk with Christ. I want to walk through and do a deep dive into why failing to forgive will not only be a relational issue but a profoundly spiritual one, and this will span a few slides. So I want you to begin with two critical points here. First, forgetting the size of the massive debt that you have against god. Now, if you remember this passage in matthew, chapter 18, verses 21 to 35, jesus gives a parable of the unmerciful servant. Now many of you are familiar with it now. The servant was forgiven an unimaginable debt by his master, only to turn around and refuse forgiveness for as much smaller debt owed to him by his friend. Now, the servant's inability to forgive showed a failure to understand and to appreciate the grace that he had received. Now, similarly, when we refuse to forgive, we're essentially saying we've forgotten the massive spiritual debt that we had against God and that he has canceled on our behalf.
Speaker 1:And remember from Ephesians, chapter 4, verse 32, it calls us to forgive as God has forgiven us. And Colossians, chapter 3, reminds us that we must forgive each other as the Lord has forgiven us. It's essential to grasp the enormity of God's forgiveness of us. So now we grasp the enormity of what he has done for us, and then what we do is to offer that same forgiveness to other people. Now Jesus clearly tells us in the Matthew passage that we read earlier, that we must forgive. He's saying if you forgive other people, your trespasses. You're acknowledging that God has forgiven you. But if you don't forgive other people, their trespasses, you're also acknowledging that God can't do it. It's about showing that we're truly understanding and we're appreciating the grace that we've received.
Speaker 1:When we withhold forgiveness, we're essentially saying that we don't recognize the significance of our own need. I alluded to this passage earlier, but in Mark 11, verse 25, it reinforces this point. Whenever you stand praying, forgive if you have anything against anyone, so that your heavenly Father may also forgive. You See, forgiveness is not just about others. It's about keeping our hearts in alignment with the grace that we receive from God, and if we forget the depth of our own forgiveness, it's easy to become prideful and judgmental and bitter. So I want you to consider a couple of other points that happen when we choose not to forgive.
Speaker 1:A third thing is that we're declaring in some way or another that we don't need God's mercy on the day of judgment. See, one of the most profound issues is that we will all stand before God and have to give an account, and one of these issues of the reality in our walk with Christ is that we need his mercy. We need it now, but we also need it in the day of judgment. And if we refuse to show that to other people, when we refuse to forgive other people, we're essentially saying to them that we don't need mercy ourselves. This is a really dangerous position to take, because scripture is clear Blessed are the merciful, because they shall receive mercy. In James, chapter 2, it reinforces this by saying, for judgment without mercy is given to the one who shows no mercy. See, mercy triumphs over judgment. In Micah, chapter 6, he's shown you, oh man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you to do what is just to love, kindness and to walk humbly. When we refuse to forgive, we're acting as though we're above needing forgiveness, and scripture reminds us that mercy is the very foundation of our relationship with God.
Speaker 1:Another thing is that we're assuming God's role as judge. When we withhold forgiveness, we're effectively saying in ourselves, to ourselves and to others, that we have the seat of judgment, a position that belongs to God solely. In Romans 12, verse 19, it says never avenge yourself, but leave it to the wrath of God. I will repay. Jesus says See the refusal to forgive. When we're saying this, we say that we know better than God and how justice should be administered, but that's not our place. In Genesis 50, verse 19, it records Joseph's words to his brothers and he says in essence, am I in the place of God? It's God to do that, it's God's alone. And so when we withhold forgiveness, what we're doing is we're taking the role as a judge, and it's a place that we were never meant to be. We're assuming authority that only God has, and when we do that, we tend to determine the other person's guilt or innocence, and the only one who has the authority to do that is God and by stepping into that role, we're effectively saying that we're disregarding God's rightful place and when we do that, we're replacing him as judge.
Speaker 1:Major issue and continues that concealing of sin. Our next slide I want you to consider this that another way is that we forget a key fact. We're forgetting that the offender as a sinner is one who is deceived and enslaved by a sin. Now maybe, as we've talked about way back, that sometimes you actually have a biblical right to be angry and maybe the person that you're dealing with doesn't see it. Maybe they've been deceived, maybe they're enslaved, maybe they don't see what's going on. You're assuming that they see it clearly and that they are purposely doing this, but sometimes they don't.
Speaker 1:And one of the most important things is that forgiveness is about compassion, and when we fail to forgive, we often forget that the other person who wronged us is a sinner just like we are. Jesus showed compassion to those. Remember when he hung on the cross. He said Father, forgive them. They don't know what they're doing. So when we recognize that people are often trapped in their sin, we can more readily extend forgiveness, just as Christ forgave us. In John 8, verse 34, he reminds us that everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin, and understanding this truth about human nature will bring compassion in our lives rather than resentment.
Speaker 1:I also need you to recognize that when you lack compassion, it often reveals compassion is a central aspect of the heart of God. It's a quality that we're commended to embody as well as followers. Remember in Ephesians, chapter 4, it instructs us to be kind to one another, tenderhearted and forgiving one another, as God and Christ forgave us. And here's the dilemma. The problem is that when we don't do that, when we fail to lack compassion in our lives, what it does is it oftentimes leads to bitterness, it leads to a willingness to hinder the relationship, it prevents us from seeing our relationships clearly, and we judge people in such wrong ways. We don't see through a lens of grace, we see through a lens of law, and when we choose to withhold forgiveness, we fail to reflect God's compassion and the compassion that he has granted us in our lives, which is so very important.
Speaker 1:One of the last things I want you to consider is that when we don't forgive, what it does is this we're forgetting the fact that you, as a sinner, are capable of the same sin, and it's so important that the same root of sin may already be residing in you. You ever find that, maybe oftentimes it is the thing that bothers you the most, that maybe you struggle with in your own life. And one of the most dangerous things of unforgiveness is self-righteousness. And when we refuse to forgive, we often forget our own capacity for the same sins and perhaps even worse. And what scripture reminds us is that pride goes before destruction. So we're all prone to the same types of temptation and without God's grace we fall into the same trap, or maybe similar traps. And in Jeremiah, chapter 17, 9, it reminds us that our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked. Who can understand it? And we must always remember that we're not immune to sin. The same sinful tendencies that led someone else to offend us may be lurking in our own hearts. And therefore Paul said in 1 Corinthians, 10, 12,. Therefore, let anyone who thinks he stand take heed lest he fall. See, we must extend the same grace and forgiveness that we ourselves are in need of and that we have received.
Speaker 1:So let's go back to some of the practical strategies Now. We looked at the first three before, so now let's look at these last ones. Here, a practical strategy is to resist counter temptation to vent your anger. Now, when we talk about counter temptation, we often hear the advice that just let it out, get it off your chest. But scripture reminds us constantly that's not the solution. Proverbs tells us that reckless words pierce like a sword, and venting your anger can hurt others and it doesn't bring about lasting peace. It often shifts the harm. Instead, we're called to respond with self-control, understanding that temptation to lash out, even when we feel justified, will cause problems, and remembering that venting may prevent us from stuffing it and it may provide some momentary relief, but it doesn't lead to genuine healing and it doesn't lead to genuine reconciliation. We must rely on God's wisdom and patience and restraint in our hearts when that intense emotion happens and Ephesians talked about let no corrupt talk come out of your mouth, but only that which is good. And so what happens is this it's a challenge to resist to lash out and is a key to spiritual maturity.
Speaker 1:Another point is to replace your concealing behavior with godly speech that ministers to others. So this is also important because you need to minister to other people. That's why we're here. The scripture doesn't just simply ask us to stop doing the wrong thing. It calls us to replace that bad habit with something good. And so we're prone to conceal our anger and we begin to replace that behavior with speech that hurts others. But now, if we don't conceal our anger but build others up, that would be amazing. The tongue can be a wise healer, as the Proverbs tell us. So stop harboring your anger and use your words to edify and encourage others, even in difficult situations.
Speaker 1:Now, that doesn't mean avoiding hard conversations. Sometimes we have to have that, and the Bible tells us in Ephesians, chapter 4, verse 15, that we need to speak the truth in love. So there are times that we need to do that. But the goal is to reflect Christ in our words and to be able to start to bring hope and restoration. Practicing this will help us to reshape our relationship with others. It will also change our heart, and our alignment of our heart will produce speech that is great.
Speaker 1:Another way is to pursue biblical peacemaking and problem solving. True forgiveness and reconciliation requires action. We can't simply ignore it or suppress the issue. We must be actively pursuing reconciliation. In Matthew, chapter 5, verse 9, it says blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Speaker 1:Now the peacemaking involves intentional efforts to resolve conflict in a way that glorifies God. Sometimes that means forgiving the offense. Other times it means confronting sin in a loving way. But I need you to remember the powerful guidance of Matthew 18. If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault. Just between the two of you See, when forgiveness or confrontation is there, we must take steps to pursue peace. So it may be that I forgive this, I let this go, and other times I need to confront you. But whether it's whatever way it is, I need you to recognize that you need to be actively engaged in problem solving rather than withdrawing, and when we allow God's grace to work through us, it will help us to restore our relationships.
Speaker 1:Another thing I want you to consider is this I want you to consider that it is so important to pray, it is so important to study the scriptures and other scriptural based resources, like uprooting anger. It's so important to enlist prayer and counsel and accountability from fellow believers. See, change is not one event, but is a continual process. It requires diligence, it requires consistency, and one of the most powerful ways that we can combat concealing our anger is by continually immersing ourselves in prayer and God's word In Psalm 119, verses 5, 105,. It says your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path, and God's word guides us to confront and address the internal struggles that we have. And as we study scripture and we ask the Holy Spirit to expose areas in our heart, that's where anger has been hiding, along with prayer. It's study. It's important to surround yourself and submerge yourself into a community of believers and those that will support you.
Speaker 1:In Proverbs 27, it tells us iron sharpens iron. Remember that passage and we're not meant to walk this journey alone, whether it's in small groups or a trusted friend or a mentor or other people that are going to hold you accountable. It is essential to stay on course. In Hebrews, chapter 10, it talks about consider how we can stir one another up to love and good works and see those two things, how we can build up love in our relationships and good works. So it's in times where we feel overwhelmed or isolated or stuck in our anger that we need to lean on fellow believers for prayer, for wisdom, for accountability. That can make all the difference in the world. Inviting them into your life will help you to have real and lasting change, and the only way that we could stay humble and receptive to the guidance and the correction of the Holy Spirit in our lives. So I want you to consider this. As we're nearing our end today, I want you to consider a couple of these points.
Speaker 1:When someone offends you and stirs up your anger, you essentially have three options Really not, but here are. The three involves choosing to forgive, extending grace and letting the offense go. Proverbs tells us, good sense makes one slow to anger and it's the glory to overlook an offense. Peter picked up that same point in his first epistle. Now, covering an offense is a demonstration of godly wisdom and love, because there are some things that people are going to do that are really not that big a deal. But there's a second point Now. If this offense is a little bit more difficult in serious cases, we must address it, and scripture tells us that there's a place for confrontation.
Speaker 1:Another great passage in Galatians, chapter 6, verse 1,. It says Brothers, if anyone is caught in a transgression, you who are spiritual, restore him a spirit of gentleness. This is not about seeking revenge, but it is about lovingly correcting your brother or sister. Now here's the third option. The third option is to cook the person and their offense in your heart. This is dangerous, and where it leads to not addressing the offense or forgiving it, you stew on it, you harbor it, you become bitter and you let your offense fester on it. You harbor it, you become bitter and you let your offense fester. And Hebrews 12 warns us that see to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God, that no root of bitterness springs up within you and causes trouble.
Speaker 1:Now I want you to think and this is where the journal comes in. I want you to think of these three responses and your tendencies. When you're provoked to anger, do you find yourself more likely to forgive and move on? Are you the person that will confront the person, or are you the person that silently cooks? And when that offense is there and it's in your heart? Now I want you to reflect on why that may be happening and ask God to help you to respond in a way that brings him glory. Because the first two options are biblical options either overlooking this offense or, if it's not, a built I don't have the ability to do that confronting this person. The third option is not. So I encourage you to lean into prayer and reflection this week and consider asking God's help and choosing the best option when your anger arises.
Speaker 1:Okay, so, as we wrap up today, I want to thank you so much for being here with me on this journey, as we've been going through uprooting anger. It's been a blessing to walk with you through these biblical truths, but I want you to remind yourself that transformation doesn't stop with one session. True change happens as you apply these lessons day in, day out in your life. So I invite you to go to my website, jameslongjrorg. There, you'll find more resources, blogs, videos and opportunities to deepen your understanding and to continue your growth. Whether you're looking for additional insights on a topic or want to explore further topics like relationships, spiritual growth or dealing with emotional struggles, my website is designed to support you along the way.
Speaker 1:So now, next week, lord willing, we will be working through, believe it or not, lesson number seven, and we're going to be addressing an issue that many people struggle with anger against God and anger against themselves. Lord willing, we'll be here next Wednesday, october 30th, at 12 pm, so I hope to see you there for another one of our enriching lunch and learns. Let's remember that in this week, I want you to remark your calendars. Number one. I want you to invite a friend. Number two. And then, over this week, I want you to very honestly be asking God for his grace to evaluate have I been sinfully exploding in my anger revealing which we talked about last week, or sinfully concealing my anger stuffing, or have I been studying my anger? So, as you think about that, I want you to remind yourself that the Holy Spirit wants to do a work in you and through you. He's an amazing God. Look forward to what he does in your life. Let me pray for you and look forward to seeing you, lord willing, next time.
Speaker 1:So, father, I want to thank you because you're a great God. There's no one like you. I want to thank you for this immense privilege that you give us to know you. I want to thank you for the fact that, even though you were angry with us, you poured that anger out on your son, the Lord Jesus Christ, which is so amazing for those of us that are in Christ that we stand under no condemnation and nothing will ever separate us from your love. Father, it amazes me that you look at us as though we live the perfect and righteous life of Christ. Father, I thank you for the fact that as Jesus hung on a cross, he modeled for us.
Speaker 1:Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they do. Father, keep us from sinfully revealing our anger and spewing it. Keep us from sinfully concealing our anger and stuffing it, and help us to study it biblically and then help us to share with others, either overlooking their anger or our anger for their sin, or confronting them in love. Help us to reflect you. I'll be with each person here. I don't know all their stories, but you do Bless them, minister to them. Be gracious to them as I know you will. In Jesus' name, we pray Amen. I look forward to seeing you next time. May God's grace be with you as you seek his wisdom, his strength to uproot the anger in your life and to replace it with his peace.
