When God was forming you in your mother’s womb, He started hardwiring certain emotions into the very fabric of who you are. While we want to happily embrace emotions such as happiness, love, and joy, it’s important to understand that God also put emotions such as anger in us.
The Bible never says that God’s people shouldn’t experience anger. In fact, we can read multiple examples of Christ becoming angry at necessary times during His sinless life.
However, we know that we are not meant to hold onto anger, bitterness, or resentment. If you’re struggling with letting go of past anger, pray these verses and this prayer today. Doing so can set you free from the negative impacts of lasting anger.
Pray These Verses:
Ephesians 4:26-27 (NIV)
In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.
James 1:19-20 (NIV)
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
Matthew 5:21-22 (NIV)
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgement.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgement. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.
Proverbs 14:29 (NIV)
Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.
Pray This Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I know that You gave us the emotions that we have, and that one of those emotions is anger. However, I know that You don’t want anger to become a predominant emotion in my life.
Instead, anger is intended to be a righteous anger that motivates me to stand up for the things that I know are true in Your Word. However, I’m angry. I’m angry at how things have worked out in my life, and there are people who I am angry at. I don’t want to let this anger turn into sin, and I’m tired of letting days end while I’m still harboring this level of bitterness.
Instead of giving room for the enemy to come into my life through this anger, I want to let it go today. Help me to release the anger that I’m feeling and give me the strength to be able to resist letting it back in going forward. Help me to be slower to get angry and faster to listen. I don’t want to stand in judgement one day with anger in my spirit.
I will not display folly by being quick-tempered. In Christ’s name, Amen.
Thank God:
Lord, I thank You for the emotions that You have given me, and for the ability to recognize when I’m allowing negative emotions to have too much of a hold on my life. Thank You for forgiving me and giving me the capacity to forgive others. In Christ’s name, Amen.