Anger is something that we all experience at one point or another. It’s a common emotion that’s a part of the human experience. Many of us struggle with our anger and find it to be an emotion that is difficult to control. Instead, we often find the anger controlling us—with sometimes very bad consequences! Yet is all anger bad? Is it wrong to be angry?
Anger: the good: A look at the Bible shows us that God Himself gets angry. But God has a righteous anger that is always under control and not blind rage. Even Jesus did occasionally express anger. When He encountered those who defiled the temple, He was angry and drove them out. Godly anger comes in response to disregard for God’s law and standards or to legitimate injustice. Godly anger is always spiritually just. It is short-lasting. The ideal outcome of godly anger is forgiveness and reconciliation—not “bottled up” resentment. But godly anger (righteous indignation) should be very rare in a Christian’s life. Without self-control and a pure motivation to live God’s way of life, however, anger does not have a good side.
Anger: the bad: Many of us are aware of the bad side of anger. We may see it every day on the road, in the workplace, in our homes and often in ourselves. The bad side of anger can exhibit itself in a sudden fit of rage that often stems from our own selfish motivations and is characterized by a lack of self-control. With this anger we often say things that can never be taken back or do things we will later regret. Without self-control, our anger is like a warhead gone awry. There’s no telling where it will strike or how much irreparable damage it will do. Self-control is not just a positive attribute of character, it is also a fruit of God’s Spirit working in our lives.
Anger: the ugly: The ugly side of anger is why Paul tells us to never let the sun set on our anger. A sudden and blind rage is bad and can have catastrophic effects. Yet that can pale in comparison to the effects of prolonged and nurtured anger. One example of this kind of anger is that of Absalom, the son of David. Instead of giving in to a sudden anger, he hid his rage and nursed it for two years until his anger resulted in the murder of his brother, and rebellion against his father. This slow and calculated anger—which is encouraged by Satan—is the cause of many of mankind’s problems. Satan is angry and has been for thousands of years.
Which will you choose—anger or joy?
We will have occasional anger in our life, but the choice is ours concerning which type of anger we will have.
Will we choose the good and righteous anger of God, which is not motivated by selfishness and is characterized by self-control?
Will we choose the bad anger that gives in to sudden impulses and destroys relationships?
Or will we choose the ugly, vengeful anger of Satan and Absalom that can lead to a miserable life and eternal death?
Instead of being an angry person, strive to be a positive person characterized by joy and happiness. (JOSHUA TRAVERS)