Do we have a right to be angry?

June 1, 2009

Right to be Angry?

Nancy Leigh DeMoss: We’ve all heard the story of the prophet Jonah. He thought he had a right to hate the pagan Ninevites. When they repented and God showed them mercy, the Bible says Jonah “was greatly displeased and angry.”

God’s response? “Do you have any right to be angry?”

Jonah thought he had the right to control his own life and environment—to have things go his way and to get upset when they didn’t. Sadly, that sounds a lot like me.

I often find myself annoyed when things don’t go my way: a rude driver, a decision at work, a long line at the checkout counter. It's enough to leave me moody and uptight.

Then I have to answer the question, just like Jonah: “Do you have any right to get angry?”
As you face annoyances and frustration today, remember: The way to get off an emotional roller coaster is to yield our rights to God’s plan and purpose for our lives.

With Seeking Him, I'm Nancy Leigh DeMoss.