Anger

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).

Anger is probably something we are all so used to dealing with that we don’t even give it a second thought. It seems in our society that anger and rage have taken over almost everything. Sometimes the way we deal with our anger, and the anger of others, only makes the situations worse.

First we must understand what makes us angry. I can tell you now that the number one thing that makes me angry is traffic. I say a prayer every time I run into traffic for God to give me patience until I get out of it. I never really had a huge problem with it until I moved to a bigger city. After the first few times stuck in traffic, I began to think of why I let myself get so worked up over it. I realized that it was mostly because the traffic was caused by people not paying attention.

I know that there are specific reasons why we get angry, but I think that for all of them, there are sinful, basic reasons––selfishness, impatience––all of which are discussed in the Bible, and none of which God excuses. Having a good reason does not excuse our anger. We must overcome that anger. But what could I do to change the situation? I can’t force the cars to move. I can’t drive on the side of the road to get to my exit. So, I just have to get over it. Whatever your situation, once you have found the source of your anger, you have to figure out what you can do about it. Is it something you can change? If it is, then fix the situation so that it doesn’t tempt you to get angry anymore. Most importantly, pray for God to change your heart, and be aware that by dwelling on anger, you are sinning. If there isn’t a way to fix the situation then you have to learn to deal with what you are given. No matter what, you need to take care of it immediately. “Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath” (Ephesians 4:26).

Sometimes, you may just want to deal with the problem on your own. Sometimes anger can be personal, and we need to prayerfully work it out with ourselves. Other times it helps to talk about your anger or frustrations with a friend who can hold you accountable. If you are struggling with a problem, don’t be afraid to talk it out. A good friend usually doesn’t mind hearing you discuss your struggles. If you don’t feel comfortable talking about it with a friend, then talk to a parent, teacher, or counselor. Sometimes when you think it is a situation you can’t change, another person will give you a completely different perspective and just might have the answer you have been searching for.  Be careful, however, If your anger involves someone else; only confide in one trustworthy person and guard your words, or you may fall into the trap of gossiping (Proverbs 20:19).

We all get angry for various reasons. Usually it is at others or circumstances, but sometimes it is even at ourselves. The important thing to remember is that we cannot let our angry control us. Anger can be hurtful and it can take over if it goes unaddressed. If left unchecked, anger can turn into violence and can lead to a lot of trouble that could have been avoided if only we had addressed the issue at the root of our anger.

As Christians, remember that you are never alone. You can always turn to Jesus. Pray about it. Pray that God will help you let go of your anger. Always trust that God will hear your prayer. You may not always get the answer you want when you want it, but rest assured you will get an answer. “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). We have the opportunity to show the world that we have the choice to make something good come out of an otherwise bad situation.

By Sarah J. Ancheta