Daily Devotional For Sunday, November 19, 2023

Anger — we all experience it. It is not that we experience it, it is what we do with it. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:26-27, “And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27for anger gives a foothold to the devil”(NLT). You probably have seen the abuse or misuse of anger. If you look around, it seems the world is a living time-bomb waiting to explode. There is a war in Ukraine started by Russia. There is a war in Israel started by the terrorist group Hamas. 

There is a potential volcanic eruption in Iceland or Greenland. It literally seems our world, this planet is Mt. Vesuvius on the brink of chaos, eruptions and war. Have you ever lost your cool or lost your temper? Have you ever in an argument said things and/or did things you later regretted? Nearly everyone has. The Bible says in Proverbs 29:11, “A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back” (ESV).

Ever seen a 2-year-old throw a temper tantrum? Some may laugh about it but it really is not funny. Ever seen a 20-year-old or 50-year-old throw a temper tantrum? In my life time we have a new term: road rage. Many people have been injured and even killed due to someone blowing their top through road rage. This is why Ecclesiastes 7:9 says this: “Don't be quick to fly off the handle. Anger boomerangs. You can spot a fool by the lumps on his head” (MSG). 

Today, it seems that many people are living in an anger incubator. There is wide spread and multiple protests of anger in the streets and universities of America today. It seems there is really nothing we are not angry about today. There is a righteous anger the Bible says such as injustices and crime. Benjamin Franklin said this, “Whatever is begun in anger, ends in shame.” 

The truth is this: anger is not a sin. Anger is a God-given emotion. Anger can be a signal that something is wrong and needs to be fixed or stopped such as some injustice or abuse. In the Bible, Jesus got angry. If we lose our temper, if we are not careful and in control, our words, our deeds, our attitude can be sinful. We can resort to name calling, profanity, yelling, throwing things, physical abuse and violence and etc. When it comes to anger, here are some questions to ask yourself:

1. Has there been an mistreatment? Before you unload on your spouse, or friend, neighbor or co-worker, are you convicted about your own sin and how you have contributed to it? Jesus talked about this in Matthew 18:15-17.
2. Are you offended or hurt? For example, in an argument with your spouse or child or whoever, did they open up an old wound? Is your pride wounded? Do you feel ashamed? Read Colossians 3:12-13 for this.
   Are you fearful? There might be some insecurity or you feel threatened. If this is the case, do what Psalms 56:3 says.
3. If you feel unsafe seek help immediately.
4. Do you feel you are caught in a loop? You’ve been down this road before many times with this person: your spouse, your child, and etc. Same “bat time, same bat channel.”

There are numerous studies out that that report how unresolved anger can affect one’s health. Anger releases “stress hormones” into our bodies. Too much anger or prolonged anger, these “stress hormones” can weaken the body’s immune system and these “stress hormones” can destroy neurons in the brain. Anger causes us to have a “fight” or “flight” response. Anger causes the blood vessels to constrict and can increase blood pressure, which can cause a heart attack. 

God’s Word gives us ways to deal with our anger. 

1. First, strive to control your anger. Look at Proverbs 29:11, “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly” (ESV). This is not telling us to suppress our anger, but control how and if we vent it or express it. When you control your anger, you keep it is its limit. If not, anger is contagious. It is like a virus that infects you and everyone else around you.
2. Second, re-evaluate your anger. Look at James 1:19-20, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. (20) Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires' (NLT). Many times that person is not intentionally trying to hurt you, but is speaking or acting from their own biases. If it was intentional, ask yourself: “Why am I angry? What is the real reason? How I am about to respond, will this honor Jesus Christ or shame my testimony/“ This means you have to understand your anger.
3. Third, find a constructive way to release your anger. Colossians 3:8 says this: “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth” (NKJV). One of the best ways to do this is vent your anger on a neutral, godly third person so that no one is harmed. 

If we do not follow God’s Word with our anger, we will say something or do something we will later regret. When I was a youth pastor, I had a Bible study on anger. To illustrate this, I had a teen come up to help me. I gave them a tube of Colgate Toothpaste. I told them to squeeze some out, which they did. I then instructed them to take the same toothpaste they had squeezed out and put it back into the toothpaste tube. It’s impossible to do. When you blow your top and become Mt. Vesuvius, emotional lava goes everywhere and everyone gets burned, including you.

Love you, Pastor Kelly

Verses To Meditate On: Proverbs 22:24-25, “Do not be a friend of one who has a bad temper, and never keep company with a hothead, 25or you will learn his ways and set a trap for yourself” (GWT).

Prayer to Pray: “Dear Jesus, there are times I get angry, sometimes really angry. And when I do, sometimes my thoughts or words or deeds are not godly. Jesus, help me to model You. Help me to control my anger. Help me to re-evaluate my anger. Help me to find a healthy and constructive way to vent my anger. Jesus, I do not want to sin with my anger nor do I want to infect others with my anger or cause them to sin. Thank You. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”