But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
Gal. 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
- What does God want you to do with anger?
- What expressions of anger are stated in the lists?
- What secondary effects of anger are in the lists?
- What is a "fit of anger" and what does it look like?
- What is the difference between feeling angry and expressing anger?
- What is the difference between a momentary feeling of anger and a crock pot of anger?
Everyone will occasionally have feelings of anger, but some of us are just angry people. Angry people are like mine fields. There are triggers everywhere and only the foolish approach without caution. The concern is not so much that they will get angry but what will they do when they are angry. Some just blow up, do their damage, and expect there to be no fallout. Others just add the new wrong to the cauldron of simmering anger and wait for the right opportunity. In James 1:19-20, it talks about being slow to anger. I see the problem with anger with three facets: tendency to become angry, speed of anger, and expressing anger. Consider yourself. Are you a minefield or a nice meadow with a few bees flying around?
2 comments:
Your comments on anger are excellent. I sometimes become confused concerning the subject of anger. I am reminded of Jesus with his anger when he cleansed the temple. I then justify my anger by saying, "Jesus became angry." I'm sure there is a difference, but I cannot explain it. My anger is sometimes the result of my ignorance. I am caught in a mistake and I display my anger trying to make myself look good at someone else's expense. Additionally, I noticed the passage in Col. 3:8 speaking about "... obscene talk from your mouth." Many places I go, I overhear obscene talk which, angers me. I don't even have to leave my home. All I have to do is turn on the "stupid" TV and I hear obscene talk. That by the way explains why I have a very small TV,and not a large big screen. I use the TV only for sports programs and the news. So I wonder, is my anger OK here or is it sinful? I would like to read your comments.
I over slept this morning, but over the next two days I will address the only time in Scripture that it states Jesus was angry and the time everyone thinks Jesus was angry. I have learned that it is important to recognize that anger will happen. It is built in by God. We have control over what makes us angry. We have control over how we express that anger. In the middle is how we process anger, i.e. the speed to anger. When you get angry at obscene talk, what do you do? What can you do? You restrict your TV time to reduce the risk of hearing it, but what do you do at Wal-Mart when some cannot find the #$!@%& item she wants? You get angry. You should (and probably do) process it, i.e. you realize the person has a different set of values or they were raised that way or they are angry, etc. You may take the risk to gently ask her not to say that. Or you could righteously rebuke her in indignation. Or you could walk away praying for her. Which is the righteousness of God? Tough question, isn't it? I think it is one of the toughest.
Post a Comment