Tuesday, May 12, 2009, "You can be angry without sinning?"

Triumphant Victorious Reminders
Inspired by the Holy Spirit
By: Teresa Criswell

""When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down. Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him]."
~ Ephesians 4:26 & 27 ~

"An act of worship?" I asked the Lord. Just the question itself was frustrating. "Lord, how is it humanly possible to be angry and not sin?" Ready to pull out my hair as the Korean and Lebanese heritage started to seep out...I was beyond frustrated and mad.

Let me tell you I was being defiant towards God; as I was beyond angry with a situation that may be taking place. Venting my frustration to my husband, with intense fellowship, I said, "I'm happy the way things are, I don't want this in my life right now, and of course a few 'not good choice' words slipped out, which frustrated me even moreso. At that point, I said some things I did not mean under my breath, stomped up the stairs and then came back down as I heard in my spirit, "Do you really want to end it this way?" I said to myself, "Of course, not, but he doesn't understand how I feel."

It was as though the Holy Spirit spun me around as I calmly went down the stairs and said, "Honey, I'm sorry, I don't want this to escalate anymore than it already has." Then he said, "Ok, first of all, you need take the emotion out of it." Of course smoke started coming out of my ears as the emotions and the flesh started to stir and rise up again, as I heard this. I thought to myself, "Helllllooooo, I'm an emotional creature and you're telling me to take emotion out of it?????...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!" My flesh at this point wanted to scream, "Ok, and while I'm at it, let me pull my uterus out along with the emotions...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!" (No, I didn't go there, but I was tempted). LOL!

I know this seems a bit comical looking on this scene, but I was truly angry. Yet I was convicted after the 'intense fellowship' with my husband to see that I was to go to God with that anger, not my husband. I realized with clarity of mind as the Lord spoke to me through this scripture in Ephesians that He wanted me to go to Him with that burden of frustration, this would have been an act of worship.

Please know that in this act of worship, I'm not getting angry with or at God. I am placing that anger at His feet as I say with my actions, "Lord, I know you can handle this and if I have to endure this, then you will grace me through it as I look to You for strength." This is so difficult to do though, isn't it? However, from this scenario I see a deeper more clearer meaning to this truth, "When angry, do not sin".

Our emotions are part of how God made and created us. However, I am learning daily that my emotions are not to control me. When anger rose up in me last night, that was ok, however, it is where I place that anger that will determine whether it is a sin or not.

When I go with that emotion to God over that person or situation, I am giving it to the God who is the Solution and provides the solution. As I give it to Him and I offer it to Him, it is now an act of worship, versus the very act of sin.

I pray that today, as another challenge may come my way and emotions rise up, that I will rise up in worship to God as I cast that real emotion before the Lord.

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