When we let anger
Turn to blame,
Then blame
To bitterness,
And bitterness
To hatred –
It becomes
So very hard, Lord,
To forgive.
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Be angry but do not sin (Ephesians 4:26; NRSV).
Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry (Ephesians 4:26; NLT).
In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God (Job 1:22; NLT).
If you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 6:12,14-15; NIV).
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us (Luke 11:4; NLT).
Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing (Luke 23:34).
So very true. I know it’s said that it’s okay to feel angry and that a certain amount of anger is healthy, but it’s the emotion that I’m most afraid of in myself. I wonder if there are certain degrees of anger, ranging from mild to uncontrollable with varying levels in between. But as you say in your prayer-poem, Ruth, it can so easily progress into something really nasty.
Thank you for your very considered comment. I think anger is a most interesting subject. It certainly has different degrees of strength, but I don’t think that is the main point about it. It seems to me that it’s fine to feel angry, to realise you feel angry, and to share it with God. The damaging bit is to either direct aggressively it at the person concerened, or to hide it away inside the self. For me, the happy medium is to be able to tell the person I’m angry with how I feel, but without attacking them at all. This takes a lot of courage and practice. Even when I manage it reasonably skilfully, the other person won’t necessarily react well, but that’s up to them, I guess. Once I’ve spoken out, regard,ex’s of the others reaction, my job is to forgive, and that can take me a LONG time XXXXX