For Those Who Are Angry
Anger is a natural response that every person experience in this life. Sometimes our anger is rooted in our pride, petty inconveniences, jealousy, or selfishness. Other times our anger comes from the Spirit, but even then, our anger is unavoidably tainted by our own sin. What should we do with our anger? May this liturgy guide our hearts and thoughts as we bring our anger before God, submitting it to him in prayer.
O Lord, I am angry and I am afraid.
I am bruised and scarred,
trapped between powers that claim my heart.
I clench my fists in rage and fight,
knowing that my blows only wound
and multiply my bruises to those
you have given me to love.
Oh Lord, I claim your Name,
yet I chafe against your ways, and
struggle to lay aside my treasures, or
bow to your will or bear your cross.
So often do I seek your grace to bear my shame
even as my angry ways do harm.
I fear your patient love will grow as
weak as mine and turn away from me, and
leave me in the shadow of my sin,
alone and angry still.
Oh Lord hear my cry! I cry for help!
I ask for mercy and for strength.
Open my heart and open my hands.
Turn my heart to you,
empty me of worldly lust and selfishness,
that I would want to follow you,
that I would want to love as you love,
that my anger would manifest as mercy
and sacrificing service.
Oh Lord, in your glory and in your anger
you bore my death,
please heal my anger and harness it,
transform my evil into your good,
for truth, for love, for your gospel of grace.
O Lord, I am angry and I am afraid.
Hear me, Lord, hear my prayer,
Your steadfast love is my hope,
The cross of your grace is my plea.