In your anger, do not sin. Ephesians 4:26

What in the world does that mean? Where does “anger” fit in the
list of the fruit of the Spirit?

We could say that getting that angry quenches the Spirit and
takes away your peace so it must be bad. But what kind of anger doesn’t do
that? Today, I got so angry that I saw red and started shaking. Anger is one
thing but does the Lord call “seeing red and shaking with anger” sin?

If I think about the many verses that deal with God’s anger,
we could say that He saw red too as the mountain in Exodus burned with fire.
Moses was definitely furious when the people grew impatient and they started
worshiping the golden calf. Personally, if you remain with the Lord and keep
His perspective through the circumstance as you continue to represent Him,
anger is not sin.

If the anger causes you to run off at the mouth, lose self
control and only represent the things you want to say and do, we have crossed
over to being angry and sinning. Yes, this definition is definitely simplistic.  When it comes right down to it, there are a
few things to remember when (not if) anger happens:

  1. Ask God to help you maintain self control right
    at the time your anger flares.
  2. Remove yourself
    to honestly pray for His perspective on the situation.
  3. Go to the Word of God for wisdom.
  4. Lose the emotion before you try to communicate
    your point of view.
  5. Ask the Lord to help you communicate His heart
    on the matter
  6. Pray to not keep records of wrong regardless if
    there is an apology or not.

We are responsible for our behavior, not others. We are
accountable before the Lord on how we handle the situation and then how we
decide to resolve it.

As for me, I need a few days to get appropriate perspective
on this issue. I have to say that it would have been much easier to go from a
business to be called into ministry. Why did the Lord desire for us to do
ministry and then be called into business?

One response to this post.

  1. Thank you this is a good reminder about how to “be angry”!

    Reply

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