Everybody gets angry. Older people to child people. Some more. Some less.
God never said , “Throw away your anger.” He said through the voice of Paul. Be angry and sin not.
25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil [a]an opportunity. Ephesians 4:25-27 (NASB)
The first Anger in this passage is defined as #3710 – orgizō – to be angry, enraged, to feel strong displeasure and hostility; this can range from petty human anger to the righteous anger of God toward sinful disobedience.
The second ‘anger’ is actually “wrath” # 3950 – translated as wrath, indignation, or vengeance.
Sin in this passage is #264 – hamartanō – to sin, do wrong; usually to do any act contrary to the will and law of God. (So then, This applies to those who have decided to make God their boss.)
A little later in the same chapter Paul urges us to put away all anger. What does he mean? Is he conflicted? No.
The third ‘anger’ is #3709 —orgē — the word from which the second anger springs–wrath, anger, the feeling and expression of strong displeasure and hostility; this can range from petty human anger to the righteous anger of God toward sinful disobedience.
Feeling angry is not wrong.
What we do with it can be wrong.
It can also be useful.
We decide.
Here are some thoughts to help you make those choices.
Where does anger – (unfriendly, antagonistic, opposed) hostile thoughts – come from? Well, we know where they do NOT come from. They do not come from God. We also know where they originate. They come from within us.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted [a]by God”; for God cannot be tempted [b]by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin [c]is accomplished, it brings forth death. James 1:13-15 (NASB)
How we think about things like justice and injustice, kindness and self-control may ignite our thoughts. One of the benefits of anger is its power to alert us to function and dysfunction…who or what is not the way it is supposed to be.
Previous experiences and the knowledge base we call our frame-of-reference have a lot to do with how we think about what goes on in our world and therefore a great deal to do with those things that make our blood boil.
When sorting all these out, it is wise to also separate out opinion from facts. Those ideas that make your anger alarm go off are just as important as which hard evidence data takes you to the red zone.
Decide whether you are viewing an event from the nosebleed section of the situational “stadium” or if you are up close enough to smell sweat and the grass your cleats dig up on the way to the goal’. This may regulate the amount of personal resilience investment and help you to perform well within the proper boundaries allotted to you.
When do thoughts morph into hostile feelings? When do my emotions begin to dictate what I do? At the very instant I snap the ball to their waiting hands.
What am I supposed to do with unfriendly antagonistic thoughts?
- Take all thoughts captive. Do not allow them to carry you away. (footballs don’t carry people, do they?) It is no accident that Ephesians 4 mentions anger twice and also mentions captivity. Who leads captivity captive? Christ Jesus Does! When we cannot cope with or control our thoughts Jesus Saves. Ask him to control your thoughts and rescue you.
- PRAY
- Leave room for God’s wrath. There is no receiver more qualified to carry your thoughts – hostile or otherwise to make a great play. God’s wrath is one way He shows his love for us. Let Him fight for you. 🙂 “19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but [a]leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” Romans 12:19 (NASB) This is a real pleasure to watch unfold because of the satisfaction that good triumphing over evil brings.
- Let God’s anger be complete. Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; 18 Or the Lord will see it and [a]be displeased, And turn His anger away from him. Proverbs 24:17-18 (NASB) (This works in football and in parenting relationships too. Incompletions don’t score.)
How is my anger transformed into something of great value to God? Answer: When my thoughts are renewed and brought into alignment with the will of God. The “anger” book of the Bible is Psalms. You will find in its pages many prayers that transform angry hearts into properly functioning praises. One essential part in all of them is the acknowledgment of a lack of personal dominance and/or control in comparison to the dominance and control of the King of the Universe. It’s awesome!
Rebuke is one expression of displeasure. If I rebuke somebody sharply (#664 – harshly, sharply, severely, rigorously), have I sinned? No. Neither have you, friend.
Titus is admonished to do just that with rebellious people, empty talkers and deceivers. (Titus 1:13) The goal of such a rebuke (#1651- elenchō – to expose; rebuke, refute, show fault, to convince, convict) is so that they will be sound in the faith. That would be a good thing. Be warned, it is not always well received but such a treasure when it is. In parenting, and in any governance really, it’s an essential skill set.
So think through your opposing and hostile thoughts. Benefit from your anger. Allow the LORD, who causes all things to exist, to achieve God’s purpose through your totally valid emotions. Don’t throw away God’s good gifts to you. Use them to score for the team.
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