You may be familiar with the passage in Ephesians 4:26 which says to not let the sun go down on your anger. It is often given as marital advice.
But, anger itself is not evil. The first part of verse 26 says: Be angry, and sin not, it doesn’t say to never be angry because that’s a sin.
So where does the sin part come into the picture? It is all in how you handle your anger. Anger that brews or broods can become toxic. In fact, the next verse, 27, says to give no opportunity to the devil. When we mull over our hurt and angry feelings like a cow chews its cud, that is like sending the evil one a personal invitation to come into our hearts and minds.
Anger doesn’t have to be a destructive emotion. It should be the catalyst that drops us to our knees, not fly off the handle. Righteous anger happens when something vehemently against the Word of God happens. When that anger rears up inside of you, it is a prompting by the Holy Spirit. It is a call to action – to pray, to peacefully protest, to speak truth. It is not a call to lash out, say things you will regret later, or hold a grudge. You can find God in the middle of your anger. In fact, you should.
So, go ahead – be angry. Righteous anger over being violated or robbed, or hearing about atrocities such as sex slavery and child trafficking should get your bile boiling. When someone hurts our loved ones, we should get riled. But, stop it there. Give it to God and let Him channel the anger according to His will. Remember that God is the one who has the right to judge others, not us. We are to forgive so we can be forgiven. Like separating the shaft from the wheat, we must ask God to separate our emotions from our anger.
And, if you are angry at God because you don’t understand why or how He could allow something to happen, that’s okay as well. Beat on His chest and scream like a two year old. That’s being honest and raw. God can take it. Just don’t turn away from Him. Ever. Give Him the chance to heal you, correct you or comfort you.
Be angry- that’s okay- but don’t turn it into a sin. Don’t let it separate you from the One who loves more than anything, or the ones who are trying to love you the best they can yet still manage to step on your feelings. Before the day is over, lay that anger in the hands of the One who knows the best way to handle it.
Where Did You Find God Today? 