FRIDAY July 2, 2021
The Sin of Anger
“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.
Ephesians 4:26-27
Paul named another common sin that can destroy people! In a moment of rage, a person can kill another person! Cain killed Abel in a moment of anger and buried him in the ground (Genesis 4). Moses looked this way and that way before he killed an Egyptian and buried him in the sand. Later, Hebrew slaves made known they witnessed the murder. Moses panicked. Before committing murder, Moses should have looked up because God saw the entire scenario (Exodus 2:11-15).
Jesus had righteous anger when he took the cord, chased out the money changers from the temple, and turned over the tables. ... He said to them: It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves’ ” (Matthew 21:13).
Anger is an eruptive emotion usually caused by something that displeases us. Ungodly anger is often uncontrollable, and when unleashed, it can cause physical damage. It can hurt people and inflict emotional wounds. An angry person can throw whatever is in their hands, slam doors, kick something, or push people around.
As Christians, we cannot continue to live a life of anger. Proverbs 16:32 tells us: He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. I have found out that when I really get angry, I have to take a walk and give God the opportunity to speak to me, and then cool off.
If we allow anger to rule us, we are going to do foolish things that we will regret. Think before you act. Bring yourself to your knees and ask God to give you the power of the Holy Spirit to help you overcome anger. Be angry but do not sin. When you have lost your temper, that very same day you need to apologize and ask for forgiveness; otherwise, your anger will give Satan a foothold––an opportunity to come and slip you up spiritually.
I have no more right as a Christian to allow a bad temper to dwell in me than I have to allow the devil himself to dwell there.
~C.H. Spurgeon~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
