by Janet Wahlquist
"Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil." (Ps. 37:8)
An enemy of God's peace in our hearts and lives is the provoked spirit. The term is encountered in Psalm 106:32-32 where Moses is provoked, strikes the rock rather than speaking to it, and loses the privilege of entering the Promised Land. "They angered him also at the Waters of Strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes; because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips." When sinful people, frustrating circumstances, or various trials provoke us, we lose the peace and rest which Jesus says He gives to all believers who come unto Him. We become provoked and do things which are not advisable, things that God does not want us to do. We do not represent Him properly when we are provoked. We lose our influence and testimony. What is worse, we reveal that we do not trust God to be sovereign. Is He or is He not perfect and right in all He allows? Will He not execute His righteous judgment in all cases? We do not come to Him and seek His comfort and strength. Things go "ill" with us.
One reason Christians allow themselves to be provoked is that they believe they have a right to be. The other person did a terrible wrong. The situation was unjust. One trial was added on top of another. A sermon by C.G.M. says that a provoked spirit is "a wrong spirit about wrong things". Yes, the things are wrong, but now I am wrong, too. In Scripture, God is often recorded as being provoked by Israel. It is His right. His response is always just, merciful, and right. His judgment produces proper discipline, life-changing repentance, or divine vengeance. This is God's prerogative. As Moses was provoked to anger and disobeyed God's command to speak to the rock and instead struck it, so our reaction of anger, frustration, or irritation and upset is against God's instruction to us. We sin and bring on ourselves God's discipline. My father used to always say, "Two wrongs don't make a right." How true this is! Instead of focusing on the wrong suffered, let us look quickly to Christ and all He suffered for us.
"He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." (Pr.16:32)
"Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools." (Ecc. 7:9)
"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:" (Eph. 4:31)
"He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly:" (Pr. 14:17)
The root of our provocation is pride. Numbers 20:10 says,
"And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?" (Num. 20:10)
In this verse, Moses puts himself as equal with God and does what is right in his eyes, not what God told him to do. Being provoked is a sign that we are being prideful and trusting our own judgment more than God's. We think, "This shouldn't have happened. These people should do things differently. Why did this have to happen… If only he would change, etc." We believe that we know best. Let us humbly cry out to God when troubles come our way, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:7)
