Anger

Anger is such a strong emotion. Sometimes I find myself infuriated with anger towards a person or a situation that I am not even sure how to act. Most of the time my emotions get the best of me and I just completely fall, or crash, or throw something as hard as I can to try and get rid of the pain inside. It is hard to control my actions when I am so emotionally distraught. Ever feel like that? The Bible talks alot about anger. Most importantly, how we should rid ourselves of anger (Colossians 3:8), be slow to anger ( James 1:19-20) and avoid being angry at anyone (Matthew 5:21-24). God's opinion of anger is pretty clear. Anger can often feed into the desires of our flesh and cause us to sin, instead of acting in our spirit. One of the things God taught me this weekend is that I have to let go of anger and bitterness. Instead of acting out of emotional rage, God has called me to lay it all down and wait for Him to deliver me (Proverbs 20:22). One story of Jesus specifically spoke to me, as I wrestled with some of these feelings. It can be found in John 2:13-18.

13When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"

If we break down the scene, and look closer, no where in the passage does it actually say that Jesus was angry. We conclude that He must have been because He overturns tables and scatters money all over the place, tossing and driving the marketplace vendors out with a whip! However, why does He do this? What is Jesus really doing here in the market?

I believe that He is standing up for His Father, I believe that He is driving out evildoers, with the authority He has from God. We learn that even Jesus's name holds the power to drive away Satan. If we call upon His name, we declare that He has saved us from the death of this world.

The book of Proverbs is full of warnings about anger. God does not give us the authority to be angry, and I think that is because He wants us to lean on Him. He wants us to allow Him to stand up and fight against our enemies. If there is something that is eating away at us we should give it to God, submit it to Him, because He has the authority and power to drive away what causes us pain.

In this beautiful passage we see our Saviour physically making a stand. It is so humbling, and so personal to me. I can almost see it all happening. I can see the vendors scattering in fear of Jesus, not one having the audacity to fight against Him. What an amazing man to have on our side!

Later in the passage, Jesus is asked to prove His authority. He answers boldly, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." (John 2:19)

Through Jesus's resurrection He conquered what no other man could.... death. It is through Him that we have our salvation, that we are given new life. So why wouldn't we entrust the struggles that we have here on earth to the One who could not be defeated even by death?

God revealed to me in this passage that we must lay everything down at His feet. Let Him be the one who handles those who strike against us, or disrespect us. Allow God to answer to those who work to cause us pain or frustration. For Jesus also said in John 2:25 "He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man."

God knows us inside and out. He knows what we feel and how we hurt. He hears us when we cry and He sees us when we are struggling to find forgiveness and compassion towards our enemies. Let God turn over the tables, allow Him to drive out those who do wrong.

I hope this passage is encouraging.