“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” James 1:19-20
Maybe I was just having a really hard week. Perhaps all the pressures of the holiday season finally got to me.
It may very well have been all the extra things and responsibilities that made their way into my schedule. All the stress and tension kept building in me and it showed in the way I dealt with people. But let me not make excuses. I was having anger issues. I wish I had a really great excuse for why I get angry. The problem is, I keep finding these Bible verses that tell me that my anger and impatience aren’t very smart.
Listen to Solomon’s advice:
- “A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident” (Proverbs 14:16).
- “A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, And a man of wicked intentions is hated” (Proverbs 14:17).
- “He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts folly”(Proverbs 14:29).
Did you notice the kinds of words that Solomon associates with my anger?
He uses words like fool, wicked, and folly. There’s a story about a man and his crying infant son in a store. The man was heard saying over and over into the stroller, “Now Andrew, calm down, it will be okay.” A lady came up to the man and remarked about how patient he was being with little Andrew. The man responded, “I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m the one named Andrew.”
I guess I need to keep reminding myself that as a Christian, it is going to be okay. I may feel like I have no control over my anger, but that’s really just a lie I’ve sold myself. Let’s stop making excuses as to why we get angry. Being impatient and getting angry doesn’t help anything. Take a deep breath. Slow down. Trust God. Be slow to anger. It’s a smart thing. HAVE A BLESSED DAY!
Devotional by:
Rich Cathers, Calvary Chapel of Fullerton