2 Things to Do When You’re Angry
“Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger, and do not give the devil a foothold.
– Ephesians 4:26-27
Be angry, yet do not sin; on your bed, search your heart, and be still. [Selah]
– Psalm 4:4
Dear Pastor,
Check the clock. How many hours until the sun sets?
Are you angry?
Is this anger what drives your life? Fuels your ministry? (Ask your wife and kids.)
Jesus experienced anger. We know this. But His work was not fueled by anger. It was for the joy that was set before Him that He endured the cross. It was His delight to do His Father’s will!
Anger is a fitting response to a broken world. Things are not as they are supposed to be. But you are in a delicate place as your blood pressure rises. If left to simmer through the night, anger becomes caustic, pitting your soul with footholds for the enemy.
So if you are angry, what are you to do?
David directs you to two simple things to do while “on your bed”:
1) search your heart
2) and be still.
Search your heart. If the evil around you inspires you to exalt yourself in self-righteous anger, the enemy gains a sure footing in your life. But turning your gaze from assessing this evil world to searching your own heart transforms your anger into an opportunity to know Jesus better.
Take a look within and you will see that you too are a part of the mess and desperately need to be cleansed by Jesus! Take one look into His eyes and you will know that you only need to ask and He will be faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you of all your filth.
Are you angry at the evil in this world?
Ask Jesus to change you.
Be still. Our knee-jerk reaction to evil is to cry out for good men to DO SOMETHING - bring justice, heal the broken, silence the liar, and set things right! A lack of activity is assumed to be the reason for the prevalence of evil. But busy hands can be as much the devil's workshop as idle ones if they are not moved by Christ’s love. James reminds us that man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires (James 1:20). How much does the enemy accomplish through our anger-fueled activity?
Stillness is an act of faith for those that believe God is continually working on our behalf, so we can rest. Stillness is an act of love for those that acknowledge that the real enemy is not the person that sinned against them, so we need not fear. Stillness is an act of hope for those that know that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
Friend, Jesus is at work setting things right in this world and He wants you to join Him, not fueled by anger, but full of faith in His goodness and confidence in the arrival of His Kingdom.
Are you angry? Rest before the Lord. Search your heart. Be still. Let Him restore your soul even as He is restoring all things. Then you will get up free to joyfully join Him in His work.
Re-inspire your walk with Jesus.
This collection of short, profound insights from the pen of Charles Spurgeon will help you conquer discouragement and reclaim the joy of walking with Jesus each day. Through 100 Christo-centric ruminations, you will be reminded of what an abiding life in God entails.
