Resentment Should Cease

James 1:19-20  "...be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires."  

As I sit and consider James' words, digging deeper with Beth Moore's study, I am convicted.

I pick up my pen to list the areas this last week where anger took hold.  Past moments were drudged up;  Current situations were taken hold of.
I then consider which ones I felt justified in as though I had a right to be angry.

Regret.... 

Righteous anger is only attainable by God.  My heart appears so dark as I look to the inward mirror - a reflector I rarely take out to use in depth.  What will I see?  Who wants to go there?
God does.  His perfect work in us will not be made complete with anger dwelling deep.
In my own life I have found that anger usually comes from lacking something.  It is easily fueled by a lack of forgiveness, a lack of understanding, a lack of humility, a lack of patience... on and on the list goes.

Psalm 37:8  "Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret  - it leads only to evil."

Ephesians 4:31  "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."

Colossians 3:8  "But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these:  anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips."

I look up the definition of malice.  New light is shed for me.  Malice: noun - 1. desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness.  Anger is a form of malice according to Ephesians.  I may not wish bodily harm on someone, but what about the need to make them feel regret or the need for them to have some type of punishment?  They should have to pay for what they did!  Vengeance is the Lord's - not ours.

Romans 12:19  "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord"

How about the need for an apology?  How much better to forgive without that requirement!  If you say you forgive because they say they're sorry, how much benefit is that to you?  If you can not say in your heart that you forgive them until the apology is given, then I would dare to say forgiveness has not happened at all.  Forgive: verb - 1. to cease to feel resentment against.  When I think of a situation and resentment or anger starts to come up, then true forgiveness has not happened.  It is an act of the heart, not the mouth.


Lord, help me to truly forgive just as you forgave me.  Oh, how thankful I am that you chose to first forgive and pay the penalty for my sin and that you did not wait to hear me say I'm sorry.  Do your perfect work in me, Father!  May I have love and mercy always.  Keep me from falling into the ugly pit of unforgiveness.