You Blew It

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. – Psalm 51:1

You blew it. You went too far and now it feels like all is lost. Sometimes the consequences of behavior cause irreparable damage. When you go into a rage and your anger creates pain and division, the situation might feel beyond hope. Sometimes connections do break down. Someone you have a relationship with might find your anger too much to continue to take on, and they choose to set a boundary or leave the relationship. Anger begins as a feeling and then becomes behavior, which, if not controlled, wreaks havoc in your life.

The good news is redemption is available. You can ask God to forgive you and begin to heal so that anger no longer controls your life. You can take steps to ask forgiveness from those you have hurt. You can make amends for the results of your behavior. The other person is not obligated to forgive you, or stay in the relationship, but you do what you can and then let it rest. The work is yours; the other person is not required to respond in a certain way. It’s wonderful if the relationship is restored, but sometimes that is not possible. Regardless of the outcome, you still have to work on controlling your anger.

Even if you ask and receive forgiveness from the people you hurt, you might still have residual guilt and shame, which if not dealt with has the power to become anger all over again.

The goal is to completely deal with whatever seeks to control you. Gaining freedom from anger is a daily process of asking God to clean your heart and provide guidance for each day. As the Holy Spirit guides your life, you will grow in self-control rather than anger.

Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward. – C.S. Lewis

Forgiveness is the economy of the heart. Forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits. – Hannah More

The voice of sin is loud, but the voice of forgiveness is louder. – Dwight L. Moody

For Further Reflection
Isaiah 1:18; Micah 7:18–19; 1 John 1:9

TODAY’S PRAYER
Lord God, my sin of anger is great and wants to control my life. I ask for your redeeming power to clean my heart, mind, and soul. I pray for those who have been hurt by my anger to receive healing and comfort from you, and if possible, that they would be able to forgive me for their peace of mind. Thank you for your grace and mercy. Amen.