Don’t Be Controlled by Your Anger
“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” - Ephesians 4:26
As we have looked at the last couple of days, anger, in and of itself, isn’t a problem. It’s what we do with it that matters most. Paul’s instruction to the church echoes the wisdom found in Psalm 4:4, where God told David to “be angry and do not sin.” Even when David’s anger was justified by his son Absalom’s violent actions, he chose not to let it control him.
Instead of acting out in rage, he took time to reflect and meditate on his feelings, creating a buffer around his emotions that kept him from sinning. This is the kind of self-control that Paul is urging us toward.
It’s not about suppressing anger or pretending it doesn’t exist. Anger is a natural and sometimes necessary emotion. It can point us to things that need change, injustice that must be confronted, or boundaries that have been crossed. But when anger goes unchecked, it can lead to harmful actions.
Remember Cain, whose uncontrolled anger led him to murder his brother Abel. Or Jonah, whose anger at the Ninevites led him to defy God’s will. Even David’s anger, when not managed properly, caused him to take drastic and sinful actions against Nabal. Anger unchecked doesn’t just hurt others, it hurts us as well.
In the movie Inside Out 2, the character of Anger humorously declares, “Do I look orange to you?” The absurdity of this statement highlights something we all recognize in ourselves: when we’re angry and out of control, we often don’t even realize the harm we’re causing.
It’s like when someone points out that you’re yelling, and you respond with, “I’m not yelling!” The more we deny the obvious, the deeper we fall into sin. Uncontrolled anger leads to destructive actions, whether it’s shouting, slamming doors, cursing, or belittling others. When our anger causes harm, we’re no longer expressing our emotions in a healthy way.
Learn from David’s example, instead of letting your anger control you, let’s take a moment to reflect, seek peace, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide your response. Don’t let your anger lead you into sin, learn how to express it in ways that honor God and build up others. When you welcome and control your anger, you keep it from controlling you.
As we have looked at the last couple of days, anger, in and of itself, isn’t a problem. It’s what we do with it that matters most. Paul’s instruction to the church echoes the wisdom found in Psalm 4:4, where God told David to “be angry and do not sin.” Even when David’s anger was justified by his son Absalom’s violent actions, he chose not to let it control him.
Instead of acting out in rage, he took time to reflect and meditate on his feelings, creating a buffer around his emotions that kept him from sinning. This is the kind of self-control that Paul is urging us toward.
It’s not about suppressing anger or pretending it doesn’t exist. Anger is a natural and sometimes necessary emotion. It can point us to things that need change, injustice that must be confronted, or boundaries that have been crossed. But when anger goes unchecked, it can lead to harmful actions.
Remember Cain, whose uncontrolled anger led him to murder his brother Abel. Or Jonah, whose anger at the Ninevites led him to defy God’s will. Even David’s anger, when not managed properly, caused him to take drastic and sinful actions against Nabal. Anger unchecked doesn’t just hurt others, it hurts us as well.
In the movie Inside Out 2, the character of Anger humorously declares, “Do I look orange to you?” The absurdity of this statement highlights something we all recognize in ourselves: when we’re angry and out of control, we often don’t even realize the harm we’re causing.
It’s like when someone points out that you’re yelling, and you respond with, “I’m not yelling!” The more we deny the obvious, the deeper we fall into sin. Uncontrolled anger leads to destructive actions, whether it’s shouting, slamming doors, cursing, or belittling others. When our anger causes harm, we’re no longer expressing our emotions in a healthy way.
Learn from David’s example, instead of letting your anger control you, let’s take a moment to reflect, seek peace, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide your response. Don’t let your anger lead you into sin, learn how to express it in ways that honor God and build up others. When you welcome and control your anger, you keep it from controlling you.
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