Slow to Anger and Quick to Forgive

"And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, 'The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness'” (Exodus 34:6).

"But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. He prayed to the LORD, 'O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.' But the LORD replied, 'Have you any right to be angry?'" (Jonah 4:1-4).

It is good that God does not have a short fuse, or we would all be toast. Jonah was angry with God for having this kind of character.

Psalm 103 quotes the passage from Exodus, but with an addition: "The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever" (Psalm 103:8-9).

God is slow to get angry, and He does not keep His anger.

"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires" (James 1:19-20).

"In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry" (Ephesians 4:26).

We are to be slow to anger, and all our anger should be gone by sundown, even if it was righteous anger. All anger that is held onto becomes sin. If we are quick to anger, it is sin. If we hold onto anger, it is sin.

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