The other day I was driving home after our church picnic. I was in a good mood. The day was going well, and the weather was absolutely perfect. But all that changed in an instant.
As I approached my neighborhood and prepared to pull onto my street, a pickup truck hauling a trailer of junk lost part of its load, and several pieces of plywood smashed into the front of my car at 45 miles per hour. It did a lot of damage, and the driver sped away to avoid owning up to his mistake.
Now my week has been spent making arrangements to get my car repaired, and I’m on the line for the $500 deductible since the other driver fled the scene.
Yay.
I’m sure most people in my life would understand if I told them that this experience angered me, but I’ll be honest with you, that wasn’t how I felt after the dust cleared.
It’s just a car, and thankfully, no one was hurt. And even though the other driver left the scene without taking responsibility, I’m not feeling terribly angry.
In many ways, I feel bad for him because he has to live with the knowledge of what he did and how his actions put others in danger while causing another family to incur an unnecessary expense.
At an earlier season of life, I suspect I would have felt much angrier than I did this week, but during the course of my life, the Lord has been teaching me more about what it looks like to control my anger when I’m provoked.
I’m grateful for the internal presence of the Holy Spirit and the guidance He gives us in His Word that can be very helpful in moments like these.
What Does the Bible Say about Anger?
Proverbs 14:29 states, "Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly." This verse emphasizes the importance of exercising patience and not quickly succumbing to anger.
Anger is easy to express. Patience is not. But irrational anger doesn’t produce good fruit. It only produces folly, and it robs your day of peace.
While the Bible discourages uncontrolled and sinful anger, it acknowledges that there are times when anger can be righteous and justified. Ephesians 4:26 says, "Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger."
This verse indicates that anger itself is not inherently sinful, but it should be expressed in a way that aligns with God's righteousness and without harboring resentment.
Anger that isn’t resolved in a timely manner can quickly become bitterness. Bitterness leads to hatred, and hatred leads to a whole host of undesirable outcomes.
The Bible advises against holding onto anger and encourages believers to forgive and let go. Colossians 3:8 says, "But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth."
This verse encourages believers to actively remove anger from their lives and replace it with virtues like forgiveness and love. I believe that we receive the strength for this task through faith in Jesus, who empowers us through the Holy Spirit to forgive as we have been forgiven.
The more we dwell on the nature of the forgiveness we’ve received through Jesus, the harder it becomes to not extend forgiveness toward others.
Proverbs 15:18 advises, "A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention." The Bible encourages believers to avoid engaging in quarrels and disputes that can escalate anger and lead to destructive outcomes.
If we allow ungodly anger to gain a foothold in our lives, we’ll become the source of unnecessary conflict and division, and that isn’t a fitting way to serve as an ambassador of Christ in the midst of this fallen world.
The fruit of the Spirit includes self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). This implies that believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit to exercise control over their emotions, including anger.
Through prayer and reliance on the work of the Holy Spirit to make us more like Jesus, we can develop self-control and manage our anger in a godly manner.
Jesus teaches in Matthew 5:23-24 that if someone has something against you, you should seek reconciliation. This implies the importance of resolving conflicts and addressing anger in relationships promptly and with a spirit of reconciliation.
How Do We Control Our Anger?
God’s Word encourages us to control our anger, exercise self-control, and seek ways to resolve conflicts speedily. His Word emphasizes the importance of responding to anger in a righteous, constructive, and loving manner, just as Jesus demonstrated for us during the course of His earthly ministry.
God’s Word also teaches us that He has a plan for our lives and a purpose for every interaction (Ephesians 5:16).
Somehow, in His divine plan, I believe my temporary inconvenience with my car is going to give me the opportunity to meet someone new, have a meaningful conversation, or represent the Lord to someone who will observe His Spirit working within me to control my temperament.
I’m at peace with that outcome, and I’m accepting it by faith even before I see it with my eyes.
For further reading:
8 Ways You Can Control Your Anger
What Does it Mean ‘Be Angry and Sin Not’?
Why Are We Told Not to Let the Sun Go Down on Our Anger?
Why Are We Told to Be ‘Slow to Become Angry’?
Is it Wrong to Be Angry with God?
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/gorodenkoff
John Stange is the Lead Pastor at Core Creek Community Church and a professor at Cairn University where he leads the Digital Media and Communication program. He also leads an online community called Platform Launchers where he helps people build message-based online platforms.
John has authored over 30 books and presently hosts several podcasts on the LifeAudio podcast network. His shows have been downloaded millions of times by listeners throughout the world.
You can learn more about John’s ministry, books, and podcasts at BibleStudyHeadquarters.com.
