photo #7989757

ANGER: A WARNING TO HOTHEADS “An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.” (Proverbs 29:22) Is your anger righteous or just plain bitter? Here is a simple fact: Either you learn how to control your temper, or your temper will control you. How many of us have undergone tremendous heartache because we lost our temper and spouted off at a crucial moment when we should have been silent? We all know anger is a powerful emotion that can be used for good or for evil. Anger isn’t always wrong. We know, for instance, that anger is one of the attributes of God. Did you know the Bible speaks over a hundred times of the anger of God? We know God never sins, yet the Bible speaks repeatedly of His anger toward sin and disobedience. We also know there are times when anger is justified and even righteous. Ephesians 4:26 says, “In your anger do not sin.” Even though anger can be beneficial, even righteous anger can quickly lead us in the wrong direction. The same verse that says, “In your anger do not sin,” adds this phrase, “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.” That is, don’t go to bed angry. You can’t communicate with your spouse or children as long as you carry a grudge. You talk, but your mate hears only the anger inside. You listen, but your resentment blocks the message from coming through clearly. The sludge of negative emotions clogs up the communication line, and nothing gets through. Commenting on this principle, a friend of mine wrote the following note: Were challenged to make a vow before we were married to not ever let the sun go down on our anger. The pastor who married us read from Ephesians 4, and we then vowed before God and the pastor to not ever go to bed angry. I can say that this was the best bit of advice we have ever received. We have never gone to bed angry yet—but we’ve sure had some late nights talking things out before we fell asleep.What happens when you don’t deal with your anger? It settles deep in your heart, it hardens like concrete, it distorts your personality, it squeezes out your joy, it oozes the smelly, black gunk of unhappiness over your life. The first step to healing is admitting you have a problem. Unfortunately, so many of us have a good public face. But we also have a private face that we keep behind locked gates and stone walls, a face of anger and hatred. Next, share your struggles with a trusted friend. If you have someone who will hold you accountable, you’re much less likely to say or do something foolish. Ask the Lord Jesus to help you control your anger. Name the sin, confess it, and claim the power of the in-dwelling Christ. Jesus has shown us the way. You don’t have to live in anger and bitterness over how people treat you. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, your life can be different. Lord Jesus, thank You for showing us how to live. May Your love replace any anger in my heart. Amen. 1. When was the last time you got angry? What happened? Are you satisfied with how you handled the situation?2. What warning signs do you notice in your own life, signaling to you that you have crossed the line from righteous to unrighteous anger?