Justified Anger

I am of the belief that there is such a thing as justified anger. When there is a wrong committed against someone, then the anger felt is real and one is/should be allowed to be angry with the wrongdoing. God demonstrates this as He deals with the Israelite people as they were rescued from the bonds of slavery and Pharaoh. Moses had been speaking with God and was reminded that the people had turned away from God and began to worship idols, specifically a golden calf.

“¹²Then the LORD said to me, ‘Arise, go down quickly from here, for your people whom you have brought from Egypt have acted corruptly. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them; they have made themselves a metal image.’ ¹⁶And I looked, and behold, you had sinned against the LORD your God. You had made yourselves a golden calf. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD had commanded you.” — Deuteronomy 9:12 & 16 (ESV)

God had removed the people from the rule of Pharaoh and the way they repaid Him was to worship idols and turned away from Him. If there is any justified reason to be angry, this was certainly one of them. God had every reason to be angry with the people and the actions they were undertaking to turn away from Him.

As I continue to read, there is more to it so that we are not confusing God’s justified anger at the people or individuals but His justified anger with the people and their actions.

“¹⁸Then I lay prostrate before the LORD as before, forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all the sin that you had committed, in doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD to provoke him to anger. ²⁰And the LORD was so angry with Aaron that he was ready to destroy him. And I prayed for Aaron also at the same time.” — Deuteronomy 9:18 & 20 (ESV)

Notice the language used here. God was angry at the sin committed. He was angry with Aaron. He still loved them all and wanted them to experience all that He had committed to them, yet they would receive discipline for the sins they committed against Him.

I am no different than they. I am accountable for my sin and when I commit them, God is justified to be angry with me and my sin. I will be disciplined for my action or inaction. I have the same ability to be angry. And my anger can be justified. I am however held to be angry with the wrong and with the person for committing that wrong, but I must love them and not be angry at them.

What are some things that have happened in your life that you may be justified in your anger? Are you demonstrating anger at the wrong and at the person? What if you changed to be angry with the wrong and with the person and maintained your love of them?