Love Is Not Easily Angered
May 24, 2024
“4 Love is patient,love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,it is not easily angered,it keeps no record of wrongs.6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8 Love never fails.” I Cor. 13:4-8a NIV
I am so thankful that God is not easily angered. Three times scripture assures us of that.
Nahum 1:3 says “God is slow to get angry, but his power is great and he never lets the guilty go unpunished.” You may think this a contradiction – but no. Because He is slow to anger, He gives people plenty of time to repent and have their guilt wiped away. Only those who refuse His gracious gift of forgiveness will suffer punishment.
In Exodus 34:6b-7 God reveals His character and nature to Moses, declaring, “I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty.” Again, He is slow to anger, wanting everyone to come to Him for cleansing. He wants everyone to be declared righteous in His eyes. But it is our choice.
Numbers 14:18 reiterates it again, saying He is “slow to anger and filled with unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. But he does not excuse the guilty.” If you have made Jesus Lord of your life– then you are not guilty any more.
It is best to repent quickly. But Lamentations 3:22-23 assures us that God’s mercies don’t end, they’re new every morning.
Read Consider the Breadth of God’s Love for more!