Slow to Anger
My dear brothers and sisters, be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Your anger can never make things right in God’s sight. James 1:19-20
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This verse is worth praying often because our human tendency is to do just the opposite. On my own I can be too quick to say what’s on my mind, neglect listening to others, and be easily angered. But when we give vent to our anger, we rarely act lovingly or make things right. Instead, we wind up hurting people’s feelings and regretting our words.
The Lord calls us to a better way of handling relationships, and he will give us the power and grace we need to live this way. We need only to ask him and spend time with him so that his nature can grow within us and we can draw deeply from his limitless supply of goodness and love. Then we will have confidence that God is working in the midst of our difficult situation or relationship and will be able to entrust it to him. Spend a few moments being still in God’s presence, and ask him to reveal times or places where you’re tempted to speak too quickly or to respond in anger instead of turning to him for grace to respond the way he wants you to.
Prayers:
LORD, thank you for being slow to anger and full of mercy and patience. Forgive my quick or angry reactions. Help me today to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry, as you are. Work in me by your Holy Spirit. Help me to pour out to you the things that grieve and frustrate me and to rely on you to work in difficult situations in ways I can’t.
Quotes:
Don’t get angry at the person who acts in ways that displease you. Give him the smile he lacks. Spread the sunshine of your Lord’s limitless love.
Joni Eareckson Tada (b. 1949)
The One Year Bible Readings for today are: Ezekiel 37:1–38:23; James 1:19–2:17; Psalm 117:1-2 and Proverbs 28:1.
