Holy Anger

This last weekend Dr. Sarah Sumner invited us to go deeper. Deeper into raw and honest emotions. Deeper into who we are. Deeper into who Jesus is and His calling on our lives.

While we are usually busy running around taking care of the details of life and trying to advance in life, we were given a valuable reminder to go to the next level that God is beckoning us into. Richard Foster put it this way, "The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people."

And so Dr. Sumner implored us to be honest and true and filled with integrity and to mirror the heart of God. If we do those things, she tells us, we will most certainly be confronted with the emotion of anger. Righteous anger.

Due to the fallen state of this world there are countless things that are just not the way they were meant to be. There are injustices everywhere. We cannot fix everything! But we can pay attention to the few things that especially make our blood boil. The things that give us a “holy discontent.” Whatever that issue is…be it human trafficking, people going hungry, at-risk youth receiving an unfair and lesser than education…pay attention to what God is doing inside of you. He might not just be giving you a compassion or sadness about the issue. He might be drawing up true indignation. He is most likely drawing up inside of you a true calling.

As good old Popeye said, “This is all I can stand, and I can’t stands no more.” Pay attention. Ask for the Holy Spirit to take you even deeper into those emotions. And then ask God to show you what you can do about it. Because it’s not enough to just be frustrated or sad about a situation if we are called to do something about it.

So what is God calling you to do?

One important note, don’t confuse your guilt with God’s conviction. How do you distinguish between the two? Guilt tends to lead to bring short-term solutions to problems that will make you feel a little better about the situation. Conviction tends to lead to actions that bring long-term advancements towards alleviating the issue and will actually bring the victims into a better situation.

So, explore causes that are after your own heart. Join others who feel the same way so that you can strategically advance the cause together. Don’t go it alone. God doesn’t call us to act as solo, Rambo Christians.

Feeling called to do something about fighting human trafficking? Join others: Redeeming Love CA

Feeling called to do something about people going hungry? Join others: God's Pantry

Feeling called to bring better opportunities to at-risk youth? Join others: Kaleidoscope

Perhaps those are not your calling, that’s ok, God gives us all different holy discontents… ask around and find others who feel the same way, google it, learn, and then join others.

Let’s get angry with God and let’s do something.