The Trouble With Anger
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it only leads to evil. (Psalm 37:8)
One of the often-overlooked problems within American society is the problem of anger. Whether it’s road rage, domestic violence, angry TV commentators, or even angry politicians, we are in a society that is drowning in anger.
One psychologist said that he’s seen patients lose jobs, marriages, and opportunities because they were simply unable to handle the normal frustrations and disappointments that come with life. They argue, they insult, and they sulk. Others don’t like them, and they don’t like themselves. Their anger gets in the way of their ability to be good bosses, good workers, and good family members because they don’t know what to do with the steam that is produced in their hearts as a result of the stressors and tensions that come with life.
Thankfully, Scripture has a lot to say about how to handle our anger. Psalm 37:8 says to not give into anger because it only leads to trouble. James 1:19-20 says to be slow to anger because anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. And then of course, there’s the story of Moses. And if anyone needed to learn how to control his anger and keep his cool, it was him.
One day, Moses went out where his people were and saw them being forced to perform hard labor. In the process, he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, and after looking to see if anyone was around, Moses killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
Moses felt a sense of solidarity with his people and was clearly upset at the injustices committed against them, but in the process he allowed his indignation to get the best of him, and it caused him to do something he shouldn’t have done.
We can learn from Moses in this story that anger can ruin our lives if we’re not careful. Out of anger, we can say and do things that we’ll regret. So when the temptation to lose our cool arises, let’s take to heart what Scripture says and not give into our anger so that we might refrain from taking part in an action or interaction we’ll regret down the road.
One of the often-overlooked problems within American society is the problem of anger. Whether it’s road rage, domestic violence, angry TV commentators, or even angry politicians, we are in a society that is drowning in anger.
One psychologist said that he’s seen patients lose jobs, marriages, and opportunities because they were simply unable to handle the normal frustrations and disappointments that come with life. They argue, they insult, and they sulk. Others don’t like them, and they don’t like themselves. Their anger gets in the way of their ability to be good bosses, good workers, and good family members because they don’t know what to do with the steam that is produced in their hearts as a result of the stressors and tensions that come with life.
Thankfully, Scripture has a lot to say about how to handle our anger. Psalm 37:8 says to not give into anger because it only leads to trouble. James 1:19-20 says to be slow to anger because anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. And then of course, there’s the story of Moses. And if anyone needed to learn how to control his anger and keep his cool, it was him.
One day, Moses went out where his people were and saw them being forced to perform hard labor. In the process, he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, and after looking to see if anyone was around, Moses killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
Moses felt a sense of solidarity with his people and was clearly upset at the injustices committed against them, but in the process he allowed his indignation to get the best of him, and it caused him to do something he shouldn’t have done.
We can learn from Moses in this story that anger can ruin our lives if we’re not careful. Out of anger, we can say and do things that we’ll regret. So when the temptation to lose our cool arises, let’s take to heart what Scripture says and not give into our anger so that we might refrain from taking part in an action or interaction we’ll regret down the road.
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