Letters to the Church: Emotions and Racism Sample

Dear Angry One

In the pursuit of seeing God’s multi-ethnic kingdom on earth as it is in heaven, where there is belonging in diversity and unity abounds, there are some people who are angry. They are infuriated that racism lingers pervasively, frustrated at the church's reactive engagement, and annoyed by the inaction or performative acts of the people and organisations around them. Their anger is the culmination of many other feelings raging wildly inside, stealing their peace and robbing their joy. This is a letter to the angry ones.

Dear angry one,

Words fail to capture the depth of your emotion; it varies in intensity and can swing from mild irritation to intense rage. Disgust, hate, shock, helplessness, sorrow, resentment - when you think about racism, the feeling is not limited to your head but your whole body writhes in frustration. This feeling did not come over night but the layers of hurt and pain overtime compounded. It would be easier if you were numb and indifferent to it but you still feel. Seeing change or hope on the horizon is hard when all you’re seeing is red. You hate feeling this way, it feels ugly. Angry at people, annoyed by situations, the news and social media fuel your fury and what feels like progress to some, to you is just not enough. You have many questions for God about why this is still happening but to you I say this, God is a Righteous Judge.

Anger is not inherently sinful (Ephesians 4:26), God Himself expresses anger and Psalm 7:11 and tells us that He "feels indignation every day.” He sees your anger about this injustice but He also sees the depth of the wickedness, from the evil intentions to the haughty actions, stemming from racism. He witnesses it every single time and His wrath is kindled. As humans our ability to control anger (even at a physiological level) is limited. Thus carried in our hearts, it can be a self-destructive force that the Bible warns us against. Speaking candidly about the dangers of anger, (James 1:19-20; Proverbs 29:22; Proverbs 22:24-25) we are cautioned to “Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil” (Psalm 37:4) and “(anger) does not produce the righteousness of God” (Colossians 3:8).

Anger is often a secondary emotion, meaning that it’s rooted in another feeling that we may be struggling to accept or express. But anger festers, and left unchecked it can turn into bitterness and resentment, destroying relationships and hindering reconciliation. To control your anger, you must confront it and Psalm 4:4 guides us in how to respond. “Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah. Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.” In summary, we can respond to anger by choosing to sit, sacrifice and surrender.

Firstly, we are encouraged to sit. Be still and consider asking yourself questions to reveal underlying emotions. Ask God to uncover what is happening in your heart; “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes (Psalm 37:7)”

When we are feeling angry, our thoughts, words and actions may not align with the commands in scripture or the convictions in our heart. Sacrifice requires us to give up or lay down these responses when we find that they are not pleasing to God. Recognising that it won’t be easy, it is still our responsibility to become aware of our attitudes and actions, obediently bring them under the authority of God. Lastly, putting your trust in God requires surrender.“Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Romans 12:19). Psalms 103 and 145 speak of God being slow to anger but this doesn't necessarily mean He is slow to respond. Choosing surrender requires letting go of control and trusting in the type and timing of His righteous judgements, especially when we cannot see it.

Reflection Points

To the angry ones:

Consider which of these is the most appropriate next step for you:

• Sit - reflect, journal and consider speaking to a pastoral or professional counsellor or friend who you can be open and honest with about the anger you are feeling
• Sacrifice - are your thoughts, words or actions in line with God’s commands? If not, pursue forgiveness, pray and ask God to help you respond obediently
• Surrender - remove triggering sources e.g. news, social media or conversations and choose instead to find and meditate on scriptures about God’s character and heart for justice

To the rest of the church:

• Recognise that anger is a valid response to injustice and try not to curtail the emotion you see in others
• Pray that God will reveal more of His heart to you about the injustices in the places He has called you
• Consider how you can show empathy to those wrestling this emotion and pray for them.