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Anger is a powerful emotion. One phone call, email or letter can arrive with bad news and change a day on a dime. Suddenly the anger in one’s heart has taken over every thought. As you will read in the following pages, uncontrolled anger can have a devastating effect on one’s faith, family and friends. The challenge each of us faces is how to break free from anger’s grasp.
While uncontrolled anger will certainly lead to sin, controlled anger can be a holy response to sin. In Mark 3:5 Jesus was angry with the Pharisees. The anger expressed by Jesus was handled by correcting a problem. The lesson we learn from this example is we must first understand where our anger comes from and then handle it in a constructive manner. In other words, when sin and injustice occur one should be angry because someone is hurt, but selfish anger is never right.
Anger will never lead to anything good. Anger will not give you respect, a raise, fix a broken marriage or make your children obey. Love and forgiveness is the antidote to overcoming anger. Surrendering to God because God is love (I John 4:8) and His plans for us are good and full of hope (Jeremiah 29:11). This doesn’t mean one’s life will not have pain or suffering. It does mean God will never leave nor for sake you (Hebrews 13:5,6) and He will bring you to a glorious conclusion.
If you find your heart and mind have been taken over by anger, go now to God in prayer. Ask Him to forgive you of your anger and to give you peace. Ask Him to help you forgive your brother. Our Savior had every right to be angry as He hung on the stake. Yet, as He hung there He asked the Father to forgive them. If we call ourselves followers of Christ, we too must learn to do the same.
In the book of Ephesians, Paul drills down and peals the onion to exactly how we are to deal with anger. “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:26-27, 30-32).
Sincerely,
Noni McVey
Editor in Chief
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