Lingering anger

(Psalms 37:8 NLT) Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper--it only leads to harm.

Many things we face in this life are unjust, unfair, or just plain hurtful. When we face such a situation we also, many times unnoticed, come face to face with a choice – to be angry or to forgive. On the surface being angry and placing someone on our black list causes them to miss out on our friendship which seems like it would hurt them but instead it destroys us from the inside out, while all along the enemy of God gains pleasure from the choice we made. By harboring anger we set ourselves opposed to God’s Word. If anger is allowed to continue God’s blessings will fade away, which leads to more anger. This emotion acts like a cancer in that it continues to grow suffocating life as it does. The very light of God inside of us grows dim as anger is gripped tighter and tighter. Look at what anger does… (Exodus 4:21 NLT) And the LORD told Moses, "When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform all the miracles I have empowered you to do. But I will harden his heart so he will refuse to let the people go.”

Pharaoh was understandably angry, after all he was Pharaoh and he didn’t like someone telling him what to do, not only that but all of Israel was enslaved to the Egyptians and made their lives easier but God had a different plan. Pharaoh made the mistake of thinking he had the power to control the situation. How many times do think the same? Why is it so difficult to give up our right to be right? We know God is trustworthy but yet we choose to do things our way.

(Isaiah 35:8 NLT) And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-minded people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God's ways; fools will never walk there.

(James 3:13 NLT) If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

(Lamentations 3:40 MKJV) Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to Jehovah.

Take courage traveler God is with you. He takes us by the hand and leads us but it is up to us to step out in faith. We cannot go by feelings for they are based on the carnal but the path before us is of the spirit.