ANGER
The word anger appears 228 times in the Bible. We are told that even God and Jesus got angry at times.
• Sing unto the LORD, O saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.Psalm 30.4-5.
• And when He had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts. Mark 3.5
We are commanded, Be ye angry, and sin not. Ephesians 4.26. There is a way we may get angry and not sin. The problem comes when we get angry and do sin. This we must not do if we desire to obey God.
The effect of anger is different on each one of us. Some shout and scream, otherwise lose their temper. Others hold their anger in silence. Others hold a grudge, sometimes for years, which builds up great bitterness. We need to realize that we must control this emotion and not let it control us!
We are told in Proverbs 29.22, An angry man stirs up strife, and a furious man abounds in transgression. James 1.20 tells why this is so: For the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God. It is not unusual for us to do or say things when we are angry that we would not think of saying otherwise. We must learn to control our anger! Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.James 1.19.
The results of anger can be felt for years. A spouse, a friend, or a relative who gets angry over something, be it real or imagined, can cause distress for a lifetime. Some do not know how to say, I’m sorry, I was wrong, will you forgive me?
If we had a better attitude toward others, it would go a long way to stop the problems which arise from anger. We must realize that at times, to keep and maintain peace, we must suffer unjustly. Why do ye not take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? I Corinthians 6.7. But often, we only think we have been mistreated,
when in reality it is not true, but only imagined.
What do we do with anger? Proverbs 15.18 says, A wrathful man stirs up strife; but he that is slow to anger appeases strife. Do we control wrath or allow it to control us? Let us make peace rather than cause strife. Sometimes anger comes about because we are self-willed. We want only what is good for us and we may not consider others.
Wives may not want to submit to their husbands as they are taught to do in Ephesians 5.22, and husbands may not love their wives as they are taught in Ephesians 5.25. Anger then results with its attendant problems. Brethren may not Have love one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another as taught in Romans 12.10. If any of these is the case, we will not have the family life God wants for us and there may be problems in the local congregation of which we are members. We should see the importance of maintaining a calm attitude and not allow anger to control us.
Yes, the Father and the Son got angry on occasion, but they did not sin. When we get angry, let us control it and not let it control us. It is possible! Then we will be much happier and maintain good attitudes with those around us. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you... Ephesians 4.31. Let us control our anger and obey God.
