"Ending Unrighteous Anger" Final Lesson on Anger Part 6

LBS

Ending Unrighteous Anger

Part 6

G. ________________

Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

Proverbs 25:21-22 “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, in doing this you will heap burning coals on his head and the Lord will reward you.”

Romans 12:19-21 “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘vengeance in mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ to the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him, if he is thirsty give him something to drink, for by doing so you will heap burning coals on his head.” 

What is Paul talking about here? He was quoting from Proverbs and it has three parts:

Command, the result, and the reward. 

(This was not as painful as it sounds, in Israel, if your fire went out, you could go to your neighbor and he might put some burning coals in a bucket, which you then carried on your head back to your house. So to heap coals of fire upon the head of your enemy, was to furnish him graciously with the necessary elements of life:  Food, water, warmth. 

So, we are to redeem our enemies. How?

You can do one of three things. 

1.___________________________________________

2.___________________________________________

3. Your other option is to _____________ their anger. 

How did / does God respond to our anger. He forgives us.

Choose to forgive

    This is probably the number one reason people are angry. They choose to hold on to something and not forgive. Forgiveness, like love, is a choice. And it is not easy! Forgiveness is not forgetting what negative things were done to you, but realizing that they existed and yes they were hurtful. This is when the power of God must do its work in your heart. Some people have been hurt so deep that they cannot see how it could ever be settled within them. But God is able to do more than we can ask or think. But first we must want to forgive and allow God to slowly work on us to bring about the heart that is forgiving. 

Take a moment to discuss this topic.