•Sunday, August 23, 2009
“Be angry, and do not sin” Psalm 4:4 (NLT).
God created humans to experience a vast array of emotions. One of these is anger. The Bible doesn’t say that being angry is a sin. It warns us of the danger in allowing this strong emotion to lead us into hatred, a desire for revenge, or at the very least, spiteful words.
There are times when anger is the only appropriate response: injustice, victimization of the innocent, blatant acts of evil and malicious disregard for the truth are a few such examples. Jesus got angry. Read John 2:13-16. But the Bible says Jesus was without sin, so his anger was deserved. It’s called “righteous anger.”
The problem is that often our anger isn’t righteous. So when you feel the blood pressure going up, stop and evaluate if it’s warranted or if it’s an ego issue. Remember that difficult person in your life? They’re good at triggering this particular emotion. And sometimes we need to take a stand; other times we must exhibit wisdom and restraint by being the peacemaker and diffusing the situation. Even when we are right and they are wrong.
Take your anger to God and ask him how you should deal with it. Remember, it’s ok to feel angry. Just don’t let the emotion take over and lead you into sin. If it’s justified, let it empower you to do something positive and meaningful, or just to make you a wiser, stronger person. Remember, every uncomfortable experience can be a teaching moment if only we are open to learn.
God created humans to experience a vast array of emotions. One of these is anger. The Bible doesn’t say that being angry is a sin. It warns us of the danger in allowing this strong emotion to lead us into hatred, a desire for revenge, or at the very least, spiteful words.
There are times when anger is the only appropriate response: injustice, victimization of the innocent, blatant acts of evil and malicious disregard for the truth are a few such examples. Jesus got angry. Read John 2:13-16. But the Bible says Jesus was without sin, so his anger was deserved. It’s called “righteous anger.”
The problem is that often our anger isn’t righteous. So when you feel the blood pressure going up, stop and evaluate if it’s warranted or if it’s an ego issue. Remember that difficult person in your life? They’re good at triggering this particular emotion. And sometimes we need to take a stand; other times we must exhibit wisdom and restraint by being the peacemaker and diffusing the situation. Even when we are right and they are wrong.
Take your anger to God and ask him how you should deal with it. Remember, it’s ok to feel angry. Just don’t let the emotion take over and lead you into sin. If it’s justified, let it empower you to do something positive and meaningful, or just to make you a wiser, stronger person. Remember, every uncomfortable experience can be a teaching moment if only we are open to learn.
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