What to do with anger?
There is no doubt that anger strains relationships, and often it destroys them. Sometimes, it seems like we should just strive to eliminate anger altogether, but is that really the best option?
It doesn’t make it any easier when we see God display anger — Numbers 32:10-13 is just one of many examples. And, when Jesus cleared the temple (Matthew 21:12-17), it doesn’t specifically say he was angry, but he couldn’t exactly be described as gleeful.
So, what to do with anger? How can anger fit into the lives of those who want to be followers of Jesus?
July 18th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
For God or Jesus to display anger does not make it harder for me. Just because they display it does not allow me an exemption or provide justification for my own anger. Reason being was both God and Jesus were just in their anger. My anger is usually stupid, petty things - I’ve never been one to turn over tables of money changers “hawking” their wares in God’s house of prayer. Actually anger is ok. Don’t be the annoying Ned Flanders type - I bet he shoplifts (or worse) :-). Pretending you are not angry is a stupid lie. And I am angry if you deny you are angry. Or at a minimum, I may not trust you. I know it is an old movie (1976) but I still love the line from the movie “Network”. I am as mad as hell and I am not going to take this anymore. Great line. Great movie. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074958/quotes
July 21st, 2007 at 2:32 am
Greetings to one and all in the Pathways Community with blessings of health, physical and spiritual.
Anger is something read of in scripture as needing to be set aside. It reads in Ephesians 4:30-32 (King James Version)… 30And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
It says almost the same thing in Colossians 3:8.
By example of Jesus’ life, one sees humbleness, never expressing anger towards those causing pain and treating Him wrongly. Jesus prays for those who does Him wrong.
The one time in scripture (Matthew 21) we read about an expression of anger by Christ our Lord is, of course, in the Temple. It was the wrongful actions of the people, belittling God’s House of Prayer in various ways, and not to Jesus directly, which invoked Him into action.
As Jesus states in the New Testament, Matthew 18:21-22… 21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
On the ordinary course, anger blinds from logic and rational thinking and can result in very negative actions, which can stifle growth and forgiveness, and anger grieves the Holy Spirit and weakens faith itself.
With the proper direction of anger comes opportunity in allowing God to strengthen and giving of His peace by seeking and surrendering to Him. From this, Christian maturity and growth will result.
Old Testament is filled with the wrath of God, and I can only say, He has every right, as it is all His creation and His doing that allows anything to exist at all.
By the grace of God some will be saved, all will have opportunity, but some will not allow this opportunity to be a part of them. Choice is given each and every human and it is ours to accept or reject.
God also gives a blueprint of how it can truly work if the choice is accepted and used for God’s will to be done in the life of a believer. It starts by a total commitment of love with every fiber of existence to God and then a love of equal conviction towards mankind. Remembering without God nothing can be achieved but with God unlimited opportunity arises and even anger can become a learning tool towards growth and greater commitment towards God.
Jesus gives direction in dealing with anger in His instructions of how one is to pray. The prayer asks for forgiveness of their sins as they themselves forgive those who have sinned against them.
I look and hope to learn from the things that anger me in asking God to teach and grow me in an understanding of this anger. May it take me closer in my relationship to Jesus and strengthen my love for him and mankind. And from the result, may it be counted towards the glory of His Kingdom now and the kingdom yet to come.