4 Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. 5 Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. – Psalm 4:4-5
The word for “angry” can also be translated into “agitated” here. While we might not be sold on our anger, or with us being angry, we would definitely go all-in on the idea of our agitation. In a world of over-sharing and over-communication, it is easy to let that agitation spill over into our social or virtual lives. It is often in our beds, when we have time to stew, that we bring life to these feelings. We remember every offense, every slight, and we creatively plot avenues of revenge. In these echo chambers of thought, God humbles us with a call to silence.
In Psalm 4, the emphasis is on the offended and not the offender. The writer gives advice to us, in our agitation, on how to move on. The one who put us in this state of agitation does not get a free pass, the writer is only giving sound advice on how to frame it. Truth is, we all have good reason to be angry. No one this side of heaven is innocent. Yet, often the one with the most power to end such hostility is the one who has the most right to escalate and carry it forward. This is the strength of our savior and impossible without His empowerment.
We are asked not to dismiss offense, but to ponder it within the depths of our soul and faith. We are to work it out in Truth and honesty, while recognizing the hurt we feel. Emotions are made from God given to us to use as directors of something deeper. Therefore, to ignore such feelings is to ignore our imago dei. When we are able to reflect before we react, the Spirit teaches us equipping compassion which frees us to resemble a little more of our Lord.
Ponder
Be still
Give
and Trust
These are keys to our healing.
Matt simon blog 