Stepping Over The Line

STEPPING OVER THE LINE

By: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly 

“If angry, beware of sinning. Let not your irritation last until the sun goes down;” - Ephesians 4:26 WNT

It’s interesting. The Bible does not tell us to not be angry, but rather, to be angry, but not to sin in the process.  

Recently something happened and I became very angry, very quickly.  Like an uncontained wildfire, what started out small, quickly got out of control. In a split second, my heart changed from righteous anger out of love and desire to protect, to sin anger that wanted to punish, as the focus of my anger shifted from a circumstance to a person.

Jesus had a very long fuse, but occasionally became angry, yet He never sinned.  He turned over the merchants’ tables in the temple in righteous anger over sin.  The difference is that Jesus remained in control of both the focus and severity of His anger.  He controlled it; it did not control Him. And in the process His love never wavered. 

In this season we have seen countless examples of what may have begun as righteous anger that stepped over the line into blatant sin.  When righteous anger that desires to love and protect becomes anger that desires to punish and harm, we become guilty of sin, just like the person with whom we are angry.  

Beloved, are you like me?  Have you stepped over that line, too?  The good news is that there is hope for change and lavish grace available at the foot of the cross.

Father, we struggle with our weakness.  Forgive us for giving in to the desires of our flesh, instead of submitting to Your Spirit.  In the face of injustice or evil, show us when righteous anger is at the threshold of stepping into sin. Then strengthen us to step back.  

May Your strength be made perfect in our weakness, Lord. We ask for supernatural love and self control, to stand against sin without partaking in it. Teach us to love and be angry without sinning, by reserving our anger for only the sin. In Jesus’ Name ❤️

https://www.facebook.com/Prayers-of-a-Ragamuffin-Warrior-171515087035441/

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