A Prayer for Expressing Anger at Injustices in the World - Your Daily Prayer - August 30
A Prayer for Expressing Anger at Injustices in the World
By Sophia Bricker
Bible Reading:
“Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior? Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever? All day long you plot destruction. Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor; you’re an expert at telling lies. You love evil more than good and lies more than truth.
Listen or Read Below:
You love to destroy others with your words, you liar! But God will strike you down once and for all. He will pull you from your home and uproot you from the land of the living.
The righteous will see it and be amazed. They will laugh and say, “Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness.”
But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God’s unfailing love. I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people” (Psalm 52:1-9 NLT).
In his writings, John Woolman described a vision he experienced of slaves producing goods, including many items he had used. This Quaker preacher wrote, “I was then carried in spirit to the mines, where poor oppressed people were digging rich treasures for those called Christians” (Devotional Classics, p. 260).
After reading Woolman’s words and his revelation that many of the items he used were produced by slave labor, I paused to reflect on the items I use in my daily life. The food I buy. The garments I wear. The furniture in my home. Upon reflection, I did not know where a majority of what I bought and used came from. That soon changed as I began researching modern slavery and child labor. To my horror and anger, many products are a result of inhumane conditions and treatment of workers.
Fury still rises in me when I learn about a piece of clothing or a food product that was sold to me but came from a child or a forced worker’s production. To live in a world where basic needs in my country are often built on the exploitation of others is infuriating and sad. It should not be this way.
David also experienced anger and sorrow after the killing of the priests at Nob. Saul ordered the execution of Ahimelech and all the other priests who served at the Tabernacle because Ahimelech had assisted David (1 Samuel 22:6-23). When Saul’s men refused to massacre the Lord’s servants, he instructed Doeg, the Edomite, to murder the priests. The man who had given away news about David committed further evil by slaughtering those who served the Lord.
Although Scripture warns us of the dangers of giving full vent to anger and the violent bent toward revenge that can quickly grip our hearts when we do, the Bible is filled with examples of individuals expressing anger and grief to God. Psalm 52 is an important example of this as an imprecatory psalm. Although David expressed his anger, he also entrusted justice to the Lord, waiting on His perfect timing to avenge the evil of Saul and Doeg. He refused to repay evil to Saul for the evil done to him (1 Samuel 24:11-13).
The world abounds with wrongdoing that breaks our hearts and leaves us angry. However, we can offer our anger to the Lord, the One who is always righteous. He is the Judge who will bring ultimate justice to the earth. So, let us give ourselves space to sit in the anger that comes with the news of human rights violations and the oppression of others, but may we also share our feelings with our Savior. Our anger over injustice does not compare to His.
Let’s Pray
O God of all justice, I bring to You today my intense anger and grief over the wrongs in the world. Children forced to do slave labor. Individuals are deceived into unfair and inhumane working conditions. These are not merely far-off issues in remote places–they affect my life here and now because many items that are available for me to purchase, often cheaply, were produced by slave labor.
You know, Lord, that there are numerous other acts in the world that are unjust: racism, people displaced from their homes, individuals going without food, girls and women exploited because of who they are. These realities fill me with a restlessness that echoes what I know to be true: “It should not be this way.” But I trust in You, God, for You are just and good. Vengeance belongs to You. Therefore, You will avenge in Your timing and according to Your perfect judgment. Help me to walk in justice and mercy until the day You return to make all things right. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Join the conversation! Share how today’s devotional spoke to you on the Crosswalk Forum.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/ Erica Shires
Related Resource: Praying Through Life’s Battles
What battle are you carrying today?
Maybe it is an unanswered prayer, a painful loss, a strained relationship, a health concern, or a circumstance that feels far beyond your control. When life feels overwhelming, we can become so consumed by our emotions—or so busy trying to fix everything ourselves—that prayer is often one of the first things we neglect.
This week on The Love Offering Podcast, my friend Rachel Wojo joins me to talk about her new 90-day devotional, Praying Through Life’s Battles. Drawing from her experience of loving and losing her daughter, Taylor, Rachel shares how prayer has sustained her through unimaginable grief and reminded her that she never faces life’s battles alone.
If you like what you hear, be sure to follow The Love Offering on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
