Have you ever found it hard to let go of anger? Especially when you’ve got the right to be angry? While it may be hard to let go of the bitterness and resentment, there are still more good reasons for you to let go of the anger rather than to hold it. So why should we let go of justifiable anger? 

Anger can easily find it’s way into our hearts, and if we are not careful, it has the capability to turn our loving heart into a bitter one.

The way to know if you have a bitter heart for someone is when you find it hard to love them. That’s where I found myself at – bitter and heartless.

I was confused on why it was so difficult for me to love this person, but during my alone time with God, he showed me the root cause was my anger.

Without me realizing, I found my anger taking away the kind and compassionate heart that God had intended for me. An angry heart creates a wall in us that blocks God’s love from flowing through our lives.

Being angry temporarily is fine, but it’s when we hold on to anger that we will eventually hurt others and ourselves. It’s impossible to love God and others with an angry heart, and it will stop us from truly living a life that draws others to Christ.

God can’t be glorified through an angry heart. 

The story of David’s son Absolom is a great example of how anger can bring ruin to others and ourselves. Absolom was angry at his brother Amnon for raping his sister. He held on to that anger and ended up killing his own brother (2 Samuel 13:28-29). We see Absolom’s pattern of anger happen again when his dad, King David refused to see him for 2 years. After David had accepted Absolom back, Absolom still held on to the bitterness and created a conspiracy against his own dad.

Absolom brought together many men from different tribes to go against King David so that he could be king instead. We find later that Absolom’s plan of revenge eventually led to his own death. Although Absolom had the right to be angry, his justifiable anger was not justifiable to God.

No matter how justified our anger may be, God still calls us to forgive and let go. When we hold on to anger, it not only prevents us from loving others but will eventually lead us to sin against God. As followers of Christ, we are called to love others. John 13:35 says, “By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Justifiable anger should never permit us to hold on to anger. Although we all have done wrong things to God, he still chooses to forgive us. God showed us grace through sacrificing his only son Jesus to save us from our wrongdoings. God doesn’t hold our wrongs against us, so we shouldn’t do that to others.

We can forgive and love others because God has forgiven and loved us. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us.” Do you find yourself holding on to justifiable anger? Will you choose forgiveness over anger? God has plans for you and wants you to live in the fullness of his love and joy. He only asks you to let go of anger because anger will prevent you from experiencing all the joy and love he has for you.

Trust that God knows what is best for you and leave the rest to him to care of. So remember, let go of justifiable anger.

Prayer: “Lord, help me to forgive and love others knowing you have done the same to me.”