If we look through the Bible, we find many references to anger. We know that Moses, the prophets, and even Jesus got angry at times.

Is all the rage we’re feeling today justified?

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. (Proverbs 29:11, NIV)

Getting angry is a temptation. What we do after that can lead to sin. If God doesn’t want us to escape our anger, we need to see what’s worth getting mad about in the first place, and second, what God wants us to do with those feelings.

Worth Getting Angry About?
Much of what gets us worked up could be classified as anger, that time-wasting, ego-bruising pain that threatens to make us lose control. But stress is rising. Pile up enough of those insults, and we’re ready to explode. If we’re not careful, we can say or do something we’ll be sorry for later.

God recommends patience toward these aggravations. They will never stop, so we need to learn how to handle them:

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. (Psalm 37:7, NIV)

There is a hint that something bigger is going on. These annoyances are frustrating, yes, but God is in control. If we truly believe that, we can wait for him to work. We don’t need to jump in, thinking God’s off napping somewhere.

Distinguishing between petty touches and serious injustice can be difficult, especially when we’re unreasonable because we are the victim. We can blow things out of proportion.

Patience is not our natural reaction, though. How about revenge? Or holding a grudge? Or shock when God doesn’t immediately zap the other person with a lightning bolt?

Growing a thicker skin so these insults bounce off is not easy. We hear so much today about our “rights” that we see every slight, intended or not, as a personal attack against us. Much of what gets us angry is just thoughtlessness. People are rushed, self-centered, worried about their own little world.

Even when someone is knowingly rude, we need to resist the urge to lash out in kind. Jesus tells his followers to abandon that “eye for an eye” attitude. If we want nastiness to stop, we need to set the example.

Foolish Consequences
We can seek to live our lives under the control of the Holy Spirit or we can let the sinful nature of our flesh have its way. It’s a choice we make every day. We can either turn to the Lord for patience and strength or we can allow potentially destructive emotions like anger to run free. If we choose the end, God’s Word cautions us over and over of consequences.

Proverbs 14:17 says, “A quick-tempered man does foolish things.” Proverbs 16:32 follows with this encouragement: “Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.” Summing these up is James 1:19-20: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” (NIV)

Don’t Be a Doormat
How are we to respond to personal attacks, to the betrayals, thievery, and injuries that hurt us so deeply?

Jesus may have been speaking in exaggeration, but he also told his followers to be as “shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16, NIV). We are to protect ourselves without stooping to the level of our attackers. An angry outburst accomplishes little, besides satisfying our emotions. It also gratifies those who believe all Christians are hypocrites.

Jesus told us to expect persecution. The nature of today’s world is that someone is always trying to take advantage of us. If we are sharp yet innocent, we will not be as shocked when it happens and will be better prepared to deal with it peacefully.

Getting angry is a natural human emotion that need not lead us into sin—if we remember that God is a God of justice and we use our anger in a way that honors him.

Posted under Women's Advice