What’s the Next Step after Outrage?
Mark 11:26. “Then your Father in heaven will forgive your sins.” (Contemporary English Version)
We all want to be forgiven but we aren’t so sure that we need to, want to, or can forgive others. Because of course, what they did to us was worse then the sins we did to them or to other people in our lives. Deep down, we know there are many people we need to forgive, even though they do not deserve it.
It is interesting to me that the key word for today seems to be the word “outraged.” So many people are outraged by almost anything. The price of gas, the makeup of a celebrity, even a few about Darfur. We’re especially outraged at the other political candidate, or better yet, their whole party.
It used to be more politically correct to be “disappointed” or “saddened” by someone’s “inappropriate” behavior. Since trying to shame someone else into acting the way we want them to didn’t work, we gave up, and went 180 degrees to “outraged.” Well there are things to be outraged about, but most of what I hear certainly wouldn’t fall into that category.
It seems that if we declare that we are outraged then someone else simply must do something about it. Hmm, what happens when someone else doesn’t make us okay by getting rid of the “outrageous thing?” We get more outraged? What’s the next step? What’s the next adjective we can use after outrageous that won’t be some kind of direct threat and violence to others?
The fact is if we want our lives to change, for things to start to work for us, the next descriptor needs to be, “forgiven.” Ouch. You will find that the more outraged you get the more outrageous you will become and the worst part is - nothing is going to change for the better because of how outraged you are. If you want to see changes there is something you can do. This even includes something that will improve your health. Start to forgive and accept forgiveness. Then, I guarantee, you will see things start to change for the better.
Bad things do happen to us - to “good people.” God is not going to ask if bad things happened to us. He knows they did or will. If He has a question at all, it will be, “how did you react to those bad things?” Not so sure that outrage would be what He is looking for most of the time. Jesus was evidently outraged by the merchants making Jesus’ father’s house of prayer into a den of thieves. We should be outraged at Sin. But, Jesus wasn’t outraged because people didn’t live up to His expectations, or that they disappointed Him, He forgave them for it.
Someone is wishing you ill if he tells you that God won’t forgive you for the sin(s) you committed. They aren’t telling you the truth. Because God wrote down in His Word (Bible) that if you ask, your sins are forgiven. (Mark 11: 26) “Whenever you stand up to pray, you must forgive what others have done to you. Then your Father in heaven will forgive your sins. How does he do it? ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6)
David Jordan, graphic artist of PrayerQuakeTM, believes in the power of prayer. “Watch God move Heaven and Earth with your eyes closed,” is his inspiration. If you life is calling for change, download a trial of Jordan’s guidance at http://www.prayerquake.net
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