Holy Anger

Stanley Hauerwas wrote this wonderful prayer that appears in his book Prayers Plainly Spoken.

Dear Lord, I am filled with anger born of frustration. I confess I know not whether all my anger is of you. I just know I am filled with hope, which makes me angry that others are not so filled. Take away the self-aggrandizing righteousness that so often accompanies such anger. It is energy. Make it to be of service. Help me pass it on. We are taught by the world to fear anger. Yet we know that you are just judge, angry because we are not justly angry. We want you to be like us--get along by going along. You will not play that game. You expect your church to be faithful--yes, angry. Make us a people with dark brows capable of scaring a few folk. May they look at us and say, "Those guys are so filled with love their anger overflows." Amen.