Ephesians 4:26
“BE ANGRY, AND YET DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger.”
The first half of this verse was addressed last time. Today, the focus will be the second. Anger is a legitamit emotion, but it isn't to reside in us for long. Proverbs 14:30 says, "A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones." While envy and anger are different emotions, they are both bad for us. Anger is like hot coals. It's dangerous. It melt right through many substances. Our souls aren't built to let it abide in us.
The shelf life for anger is a day, "don't let the sun go down on your anger". While it might not be resolved in a day, the plan is to be made, if not executed. It usually involves another person. They are to be contacted asap. Jesus says in Matthew 5:23, 24, "Therefore, if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering." The roles are reversed here. It's us who has something against a brother. The idea is immediacy.
Romans 12:21 says, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." This is in response to dealing with our enemies. We can be overcome with anger. There is a certain response to letting it abide in us. It's not good. We aren't to be overcome by it.
When discussing the topic of anger, boundaries come up. We get angry when boundaries are crossed. Someone just stepped on our toes. We would expect an apology. If it doesn't come, we get angry. If we can't let it go, we need to bring it up with that person. That's resolution. They may accept it and apologize. If they don't and we can't let it go, then we need to redefine the friendship. We shouldn't be close to someone who doesn't respect our boundaries.
Anger is concerned with justice. Our own or others. We aren't to engage in most battles. However, some we are. The issues of boundaries is one. Sometimes we go to bat for others. They may not be aware of the transgression or they may be powerless to deal with it. This is standing up for the weak. Proverbs 31:8 says, "Open your mouth for those with no voice, for the cause of all the dispossessed." Jesus did this often. It's as if many of the religious rulers of the day were bullies. They were oppressing people and more sadly, keeping people from God.
Anger is a difficult emotion. It's an important skill to learn how to properly deal with. It concerns justice and timing. Sometimes we let things go, other times we address it.
God has anger. Many think so. They do have a misconception. They think that He is angry with them. He is angry with sin, the devil and those that are abusive. What most aren't aware of is that sin has disrupted our relationship with God. Jesus died to resolve that. It's a free gift that God wants to give everyone. People sense the disruption and confuse it with anger. It's a problem, but not anger.
Lord, help us to deal properly with anger. Don't let it wreck us, but to be quick with resolutions. Help us to be a defender of the powerless.