Anger

Be angry and do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your anger. – Ephesians 4:26

Just as pain can be a signal that something is wrong in your body, negative emotions, such as anger, can be a signal that something is wrong in your life. Is anger sin? Jesus was perfect and did not sin, but He became angry when He saw the temple becoming a place of commerce rather than a place of prayer. He drove out the money-changers with a whip (John 2:13-17).

However, when anger is not dealt with correctly, it can lead to sin. Notice that Jesus did not punch out the money-changers. His anger was directed toward the sin, not the sinner. Today’s verse advises to not let the sun go down on your anger. In other words, deal with it promptly. Sometimes dealing with it may mean walking away from the situation to avoid a harsh reaction that may be directed toward someone else, instead of the actual issue. The first step is to be aware and acknowledge you are angry. Instead of being quick to blame, identify what is behind the emotion.

Is there something wrong that needs to be fixed? Seek the Lord for wisdom and clarity about the circumstances. Once the initial storm has blown over, and you have prayed for the solution and received an answer, proceed in love. Though you may feel strong emotion over what is going on in this country, pray for the people involved. Ask God what you can do to be helpful in the situation.