When Doves Cry
Prince wrote a song titled When Doves Cry in 1984. It was a hit song from the PURPLE RAIN movie and album. This song touched me and many others during that era. It was the number 5 song in the 80’s.
This song talked about the tumultuous relationship his parents had and his current relationship. He didn’t want to repeat the mistakes his parents did. He compared himself to a dove.
Why do we scream at each other
This is what it sounds like
When doves cry
The Holy Spirit dropped this song in my Spirit last week and told me to write about When Doves Cry. At first I couldn’t understand where He was going with this. So I started singing the lyrics and saying I do not see how this fits.
I pondered on this song for a few days and couldn’t get it out of my spirit. Then a light bulb went off in my head! Oh I get it. Yeah.
The Ruach Ha Kodesh/ Holy Spirit is likened unto a Dove in scripture. Matt 3:16 “….He saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and alighting upon Him.”
I remember another scripture in Isaiah 59:11 “….and moan sadly like doves.” And Isaiah 38:14 “I mourned like a dove.”
So the question is, How do we make a Dove cry?
Well since the Spirit of God is likened to a Dove we will visit the scripture below.
(Eph 4:29-32 NASB) Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
Can you control your feelings of anger and resentment when you have been wronged? Yes you can. Through Christ all things are possible! Last night on Todays Breathing Room I had Elder James Murray on. We have been doing a series on The Root of Bitterness and The Spirit of Unforgiveness. We talked about releasing people that have wronged us.
Let us look at the meaning of the words in detail that grieves Him.
Please bear with me for a moment because I am a teacher by nature and tend to be long winded. I just want you to understand the magnitude of these verses. And for them to get down in your spirit whereby you can grow in the things of Him.
The word GRIEVE means "to pain, to hurt, to cause sorrow". When we as Christians allows anger and bitterness to infect our lives, God is hurt. The indwelling Holy Spirit is affected by our attitude.
The first word used is BITTERNESS. The Greek word is "piknia," which means resentfulness or harshness. The attitude of bitterness attitude defeats many people. It is a misconception that resentfulness only affects the one who carries the resentment. It affects everyone around them. It always results in unhappiness. The resentful heart is the unhappy heart.
The next word is WRATH. The Greek word is "thumos," and it brings to mind a sudden burst of anger. This is the type of anger that just as quickly subsides.
The third Greek word is ANGER. The Greek word is "arge," This word describes "anger that continually boils and has its end in revenge."
The Greek word "blasphemica" refers to slanderous speech ("slander") that has as its purpose personal injury. All of these Greek words ----- piknia, thumos, arge, and krauge ----- are expressions of one's attitude, or anger attitude.
So What Do We Do about This?
I know some of you have been hurt beyond measure and you are saying "How in the world can I forgive the man/ woman that did this to me? You have no idea of the hell I have been through. You don’t know what I am going through now. There is NO way I can do what you are saying. I can't control how I feel."
Trust me I understand and have been where you are. God never requires of us what we cannot fulfill. Many times we make excuses for not obeying God by saying we "can't" do what He requires. You can, and you must. Why? Well for starters your very life depends upon it! What quality of life are you living now in unforgiveness? You ask what happened to the Abundant Life we have been promised. Well the answer is until you put away the things we are talking about in Ephesians you won’t experience it.
There are stories galore in the Bible where people had a right to hate someone for the things that were done to them but decided to walk in forgiveness and love instead. Moses, David, Joseph, Job, Elijah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Stephen, Paul and many others chose to forgive.
What is your attitude? Are you angry, bitter, resentful? If you are, then we both know that you are defeated and having a difficult time in life. How tragic it is that we justify our anger by calling it righteous indignation. Ninety-nine percent of the time, righteous indignation is nothing more than sinful anger. Anger will only make us sick in every area of our lives. We must confess our anger to God, repent of this sin, and ask God to forgive us. We should also ask Him to help us overcome this fault and to put in its place the attitude of forgiveness. This is the only way to live healthfully, successfully, and righteously.
Bitterness, wrath, clamor, anger, and slander defeats a person. They may be brought on by events, but our attitude will determines whether or not we remain defeated. Those who allow themselves to live with these attitude weaknesses will die that way. Those whose lives are filled with resentments will live lives where joy is absent and Satan is able to keep his foot on the necks of those persons.
When we replace the anger attitude with forgiveness, we are saving our bodies from ulcers, heart attacks, colitis, toxic goiters, high blood pressure, and numerous other diseases. Anger leads to despair as well as physical destruction. Anger not only puts us into a state of depression and shortens our lives, but it can also cost us our eternal salvation. Can you think of any good reason to cling to our anger attitude as many do?
So how do we get delivered from anger? Well we have to acknowledge that God has forgiven us of all our sins, and He gives us the strength to forgive those who have wronged us.
Every time we are insulted or persecuted, we should view the experience in two ways.
First, we should see the experience as a means to grow in God's grace. How can we grow in love and forgiveness if our lives are not put to the test?
Secondly, we should view each experience as an opportunity. An opportunity to prove to ourselves, God, and every onlooker what we are. Are we truly followers of Christ; wanting to please Him because we love Him?
With all of that being said what tips can you give that have helped you in these areas?
