When Anger Strikes

Mark 3:5 -- "He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man,“Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored!"

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This story is critical in the persecution of Jesus by the Jews. It is the Sabbath, but Jesus continues to heal a deformed man in front of the Pharisees. The Pharisees, whom Jesus refers to with having hard heart, turn around to have Jesus executed.

This is a very human emotion, but I am comforted by the fact that Jesus got angry. I love his challenge to the Pharisees, "Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil?" (Mark 3:4).

My temper, and my anger, are characteristics about myself that Christ continues to work on, even after the many years which have passed since I have accepted him.One situation in which anger stirs in me is when I try to share the love of Christ, yet people turn their heads away from the truth. These are ones whose hearts are hardened. It makes me angry to see people reject God over and over again, even though I know how powerful a relationship with the Lord truly is.

Jesus says to me through this verse, that God is also angry with those ho reject him, but he is also sad because he loves all his children.

Anger alone is not sin, it is the action sparked by that anger that becomes sin. Even Jesus was angry, but he still gave his life even for those ho angered him. When you feel anger, give it to God, he will help you through and who you ways to shine light instead of being hardened yourself.

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Study God's Word and be Blessed!