Wrath

Have you ever wanted others to suffer?

So today we are going to talk about wrath, as it is written in Romans 12:19 ESV

"Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

According to webster:

wrath

noun\ ˈrath , chiefly British ˈrȯth \

Definition of wrath

1: strong vengeful anger or indignation

2: retributory punishment for an offense or a crime : divine chastisement

Lexicon :: Strong's G3709 - orgē

1. anger, the natural disposition, temper, character

2. movement or agitation of the soul, impulse, desire, any violent emotion, but esp. anger

anger, wrath, indignation

3. anger exhibited in punishment, hence used for punishment itself

A. of punishments inflicted by magistrates

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I remember a point in my life where I felt so angry at times that I would commit all kinds of crimes in my head. When others would make me mad I wanted so badly for them to feel what I felt. This anger I lived with from a young girl and didn't even know how to find the source or the root of the issue. My mom tells me that I used to ask for a punching bag, and when she would ask why, my only response was, "I just get so angry." The fact that my mom remembers this and I do not is an indication of how young I was when I began to identify my anger. After I received Christ as my Lord and Savior as a teen I would cry out to God to please take the anger from me because I feared what would come of it as I grew older. I did not want to be labled as the "angry black girl/woman."

It wasn't until college that I began to ask God to show me the root of my issues, there were many. I began to realize that there was a pain/trauma in me so deep that any person that added to the pain/trauma, no matter how small, I secretly wanted them to feel my pain. On the outside I was calm, cool and collected but on the inside I was seething, I was a murderer I was full of vengeance (wrath). Well as I began this journey many things were uncovered and all them I was not sure I was ready to even face. Well, as I began to forgive and let go of the past it allowed me to become a bit more graceful and compassionate. Ultimately, I came to the realization that the Lord would fight for me.

As my heart changed I had to apply the word that I was reading regularly. I allowed the presence of God to become my peaceful place. I wish I could say that I changed over night but honestly I began to changed after many nights and days of consistent, intentional application of the word of God. I had to trust God to help me change years of behavioral habits, and emotional pain. This included reading my word, studying my word, applying my word, fasting, praying. receiving prayer, spiritual counsel and natural counsel.

I would be fibbing if I said that the process was easy and fun, but I CAN say the process has been well worth it. It has been the best thing that I could ever do for myself and for those that God has assigned me to minister to. I have watched the Lord give me beauty for ashes.

Romans 12:19 ESV

"Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

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Here are some scriptures that have stood on over the years dealing with my wrath.

Psalm 37:8

James 1:20

Proverbs 15:1

Ephesians 4:26-27

1 John 4:18 - This is my all time favorite