Answer me when I call to you,
my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
How long will you people turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?
Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself;
the Lord hears when I call to him.
Tremble and do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent.
Offer the sacrifices of the righteous
and trust in the Lord.
Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
Let the light of your face shine on us.
Fill my heart with joy
when their grain and new wine abound.
In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
~Psalm 4
Key Verse: “In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.” Psalm 4:4
What makes you angry? How do you deal with anger? Do you ask God to help you respond to your emotions? It is not a sin to experience anger. Jesus was angry, and He never sinned. When you are angry (common examples include while you are driving, playing sports, completing an intense project at work, or wronged by someone close to you), you still have options as to how you want to respond.
Psalm four gives us three important steps to take:
1) Be silent! The words that come out of your mouth when you are angry can easily be sinful. Suddenly what you are saying becomes worse than the first offence you received. Your tongue can take you to low places you never want to be.
2) Search your heart! Make sure your anger is not a result of pride, selfishness, or a false perspective.
3) Do not sin! God says you must forgive other people in the same way God forgives you through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:29-32). Calm conversations, based in truth, showered with grace are God’s way of handling conflict. The Holy Spirit can accomplish this peace in your life, even when you are extremely angry.
Jesse Bradley is passionate about helping people discover the grace of Jesus- both in practical and eternal ways. He serves as Senior Pastor of Sebastopol Christian Churchin Northern California, with degrees from Dartmouth College and Dallas Theological Seminary. Once a professional goalkeeper in Scotland and Zimbabwe, God redirected him into ministry through a life-threatening illness. He is the author of Rooted In Grace and A New Season. Jesse and his wife, Laurie, have three children.
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