What I find amazing is that often times when I'm struggling.. my Pastor's sermon that week directly addresses what I'm going through. I'm sure there are some general themes that apply to everyone, but some weeks, it just hits differently and deeply. Today was one of those times and I'm grateful for the lesson and inspiration.
It is amazing. After every sermon I do, at least one person tells me afterwards that I hit on something they had been struggling with or meditating on.
Just preached Jonah 4 today, finishing up my 4 week sermon series on Jonah. One of the major themes of Jonah 4 is how anger destroys us from within. Anger is a normal emotion and reaction for us. For a moment. However, when it festers, it destructive. A guy in the congregation told me today he was struggling with intense anger over an issue. He took the following below from my sermon and said it was exactly what he needed to hear in order to change his path.
I will provide the Scripture verses. Anyone who is interested can (and should) look them up and read them.
Anger....
1 ...is an affront to God and His holiness (James 1:19-20)
2 ...provides a foothold for the devil inside you (Ephesians 4:26-27)
3 ...grieves the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30-31) This one is frightening because the Holy Spirit inside me is what I rely on for wisdom, guidance, etc. Causing Him grief is a bad recipe for causing damage to my own life.
How to deal with anger? Read Psalm 4:4-5. Trust me. Next time you feel anger threatening to take over, read Psalm 4:4-5. And do it!
