Q: We’ve read some of the comments from the previous article on having a ‘Deceitful Heart.’ How should a Christian deal with Anger?
A: Ephesians 4:26-27 states, “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”
The short earthly life of Jesus, in Scripture, has shown us that being angry, in itself, is not evil.
Having a Certificate in Christian Counseling, I’ve counseled a number of believers, who have come into the sessions, quoting this verse of Scripture from the Apostle Paul, without knowing its true meaning and intent.
In verse 25, the Apostle says it is very important that Christians “speak the truth with his/her neighbor.” He was establishing that God’s work in the world is based on truth, and neither the church nor individual believers can be fit instruments for the Lord to use, if they are not truthful. When you reach verse 26, it appears the Apostle may have been sanctioning righteous indignation/anger at evil. [Why do I think that? Because Paul tells us not only that we are permitted to be angry, but he also says there are times when we ‘must’ be angry, because we’re “imitators of God;” and if we’re to imitate Him, according to Ephesians 5:1, then, we too must become offended at those things that make God angry, such as, hate, injustice, immorality, ungodliness, and every other sin, otherwise we may be angry without just cause and, therefore, we end up giving opportunities to the Devil.]
Remember, even righteous anger can turn to bitterness; therefore, we should set aside anger by the end of each day.
Also, it’s very important to know, that anger is a God-given emotion that warns us that something is wrong. We cannot stop the emotion from surfacing, but how we express our anger is what determines whether it is sinful or appropriate.
It’s also important to know some of the root causes of anger, such as: the attack of the personal worth of the other person, the legitimate needs of the other person haven’t been met, or the other person’s convictions of what they believe is right and/or wrong have been seriously violated. Therefore, when a person feels they have been violated, their anger is turned inwardly, causing mild depression and some form of resentment and bitterness. The author of Hebrews 12:14-15 instructs us to, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grade of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.”
I’ll conclude by giving a few anger principles that we all, as believers, can put into practice:
- Don’t be afraid to admit, “I am ANGRY!”
- Determine what’s happening in your life to cause the anger.
- Determine if what you are doing is the best way to express your anger.
- Seek Godly wisdom on how to remove the anger.
- Focus on forgiving others.
Hope this helps!