Processing Anger Over Injustice

Question: When looking around at the injustices I see in the world, I am greatly provoked. This is wrecking my ability to abide in faith, hope and love (1 Cor. 13:13).

• At times I am moved to fear, and want to run and hide. Fear is contrary to faith. Fear damages my physical as well as spiritual health.
• Very often I am incensed with anger, and want to destroy those who practice injustice. I realize that harboring anger is destructive to both my physical and spiritual health.
• Sometimes I am moved to hopelessness and despair, and say “evil is just too powerful” and I become resigned to believing that darkness is increasing and God’s kingdom is decreasing. Then I realize hopelessness and despair are contrary to hope and that these emotions damage my physical and spiritual health. So what am I to do?

Answer: I did a concordance meditation on the word “injustice” and here is the revelation I received.

Anger at injustice is resolved by seeing that the Sovereign God RULES with mercy and justice,
and renders justice upon the wicked (Deut. 10:17,18; 32:17-29; Isa. 10:15,16).

Or as my father-in-law would calmly and confidently say:
“God’s keeping the books.”

A Biblical Response to Injustice

1. I believe and trust in God’s mercy and justice, which are consistent throughout Scripture.
2. I know that God renders justice on the evildoer.
3. I know there is a time lapse between sowing and reaping, but that reaping will come.
4. I know what God is asking me to do and I pray for all people.
5. I know that God warns and protects concerning upcoming calamities.
6. I know that God gives grace to each person to face what they must face.
7. I know that life on earth is only a speck in eternity. 

I do not fret because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. I cease from anger and forsake wrath; I do not fret as it leads only to evildoing. For evildoers will be cut off, but I wait for the LORD. I inherit the land. Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more. (From Psalm 37. Read the entire chapter!)

Expansion of these seven truths concerning God’s justice and mercy

1. I believe and trust in God’s mercy and justice, which are consistent throughout Scripture.

 Ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He (Deut. 32:3,4). Read all of Deuteronomy 32 for a powerful picture which will impact your emotions, and create change.

Both God and man DO justly and LOVE mercy (Micah 6:8; Ps. 89:14; Lk. 18:7; Matt. 13:49,50; Matt. 25:46; Rom. 3:5,6; 14:10,11; Heb. 10:29,31; 12:23; 1 Pet. 4:5).

2. I know that God renders justice on the evildoer.

"Rejoice, O nations, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, And will render vengeance on His adversaries, And will atone for His land and His people" (Deut. 32:43).

Covenant blessings and curses continue in operation even to today (Deut. 28:1-68; 2 Cor. 1:20; 1 Pet. 3:12; Heb. 13:8).

It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you (2 Thess. 1:6).

3. I know there is a time lapse between sowing and reaping, but that reaping WILL come.

In due time their foot will slip; For the day of their calamity is near, And the impending things are hastening upon them (Deut. 32:35 – see also Ps. 37:1-40; 52:1-9).

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary (Gal. 6:7-9).

He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS (Rev. 2:25).

4. I know what God is asking me to do and I pray for all people.

I do those things the Father tells me to do (Jn. 5:19,20,30).

First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:1-4).

'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.' Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 'I will be found by you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile' (Jer. 29:11-14).

Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you (Lk. 6:28).

Follow Daniel’s example when praying for release from captivity (Dan. 9:2-23).

How to pray concerning evildoers:  I don’t think we are to be calling down fire and brimstone on those whom we disagree with and feel are evil. Let God be the judge of who is evil, and determine how He wants to handle each situation. I pray a more general prayer, as David did: “Let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, But establish the just.” Ps. 7:9; see also: 82:1-5; 89:1-17; 97:1-12). Remember our goal here is not is praying destruction on others’ lives, but on effectively processing our anger over injustice, and in praying to release God’s kingdom.

5. I know that God warns and protects concerning upcoming calamities.

A warning: Pharaoh was warned by God in a dream to prepare for 7 years of famine (Gen. 41: 17-57).

A warning: Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him" (Matt. 2:13).

A warning: While he (Pilate) was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, "Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him" (Matt. 27:19).

God’s protection: "Now, O LORD our God, I pray, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD, are God." Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah saying, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Because you have prayed to Me about Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard you.' (2 Kings 19:19-20) 'For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David's sake.'" Then it happened that night that the angel of the LORD went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were dead (2 Kings 19:34-35).

6. I know that God gives grace to each person to face what they must face.

For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong (2 Cor. 12:8-10).

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world" (Jn. 16:33).

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28).

7. I know that life on this earth is only a speck in eternity.

"Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. "Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you (Jn. 16:21-22).

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18 - continue reading through verse 39). 

My summary insight:

I don’t need to feel responsible for the evil or for fixing the evil. Therefore I don’t have to feel powerless because it’s not my job, it's God's. My goal is NOT to pray down curses upon those I perceive to be my enemies. I leave them in God’s hands to deal with. I pray for God's kingdom rule to be released here and now.  

Resources to clear stored toxic emotions

• Clearing Cellular Memories Worksheet to remove stored toxic emotions – This is your opportunity to clear stored anger in your cells.
• Anger at Injustice Bible Meditation (free download) – Change your thought processes so they line up with God’s thoughts by meditating on hundreds of verses on “How do I process anger at injustice?”