Dear Family and Friends,

This was a most unusual week.

I learned that I was the victim of misplaced trust. The betrayal led to decisions with far ranging implications.

I should have been foot-stomping furious. But I wasn’t angry at all.

This week was spent exploring the scriptures and myself. This is what I found. 

Have you ever been angry? We all have, including God and Jesus.

“So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left.”  2 Kings‬ ‭17‬:‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.”  ‭‭Mark‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV

Anger is very much a part of life. It’s unavoidable.

But not all anger is bad or unhealthy. There are times when anger is good!

But saying that doesn’t make dealing with anger any easier. Verses like the following are nearly impossible to obey.

“In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”  Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, you ask – what did I find?

The reason for being angry was no longer important to me. Let me further explain.

We normally try to manage our anger by trying to cool down, to dissipate the emotions raging inside.

Some of us react emotionally, as we absorb the anger. Others respond by going after the person who made us angry – either verbally or physically.

Anger is defined as a secondary emotion. Which means, we usually don’t get angry over nothing. It takes something, someone or another emotion to trigger our anger.

Anger is our response to a threat or attack on someone or something we care about. And the more we love the person or something that’s threatened, or the greater the threat, the angrier we get.

That said, managing our anger is not so much trying to control or dissipate our emotions. Managing our anger requires that we ‘manage’ the source of that anger instead.

Let’s talk about two very different kinds of anger. The anger of man and the anger of God, or righteous anger.

“The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”  ‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

I imagine we all would get very angry if someone were to threaten our spouse or children. This kind of anger is similar to God’s and Jesus’ righteous anger.

Righteous anger stems from love for others, rather than ourselves. Like the anger of Jesus – righteous anger is directed towards sin and injustices.

Think of righteous anger this way: If the threat would anger God, our anger is likely righteous.

The anger of man happens everywhere; our cars, home and even the workplace.

There were occasions when I lost my temper at work. (In my pre-pastoral days.)

After searching within, the reasons for my anger were always self-focused.

The attacks against my work, or the wasting of my time all pointed back to the mini-god residing in my heart – my ego, pride and self-esteem.

Today, there’s a lot of angry people in our country, especially about politics.

This is because people have elevated the power and perks that come with electoral wins to God’s place in their heart.

So, how can we be angry but not sin?

Start by analyzing the threat. Is the threat sinful? Are you angry because someone you love is threatened? Is God just as mad as you are?

If your anger is righteous, allow it to spur you into action.

I watched a recent video of a man who was madly screaming at a person who tried to abduct his child. That was righteous anger in motion.

But if you find yourself with the anger of man, look within for the reason you feel threatened. Search for the mini-god lurking in your soul.

Then allow God to redeem that anger.

Allow God to use that anger to help you change. Help you repent and toss aside those mini-gods. So that God can take His rightful place in your heart.

Let me close with this thought. We don’t have to wait for another bout of anger to search our hearts.

Let’s spend this week stamping out those pesky mini-gods, and the unwanted anger caused by them! 

In love always,