Anger [4 of 4]
Anger [4 of 4]
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There are three kinds of anger mentioned in the Bible and
confirmed by observation and experience. The first two words we will
consider are found in
Ephesians 4:13:
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"Get rid of all bitterness, rage
[thumos] and anger
[orge], brawling and
slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and
compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in
Christ God forgave you"
Ephesians 4:13 NIV
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There has been some discussion lately about ANGER. We
might not struggle with anger to the same extent as the guy next door who
takes a gun to his lawn mower because it won't work, but anger is a problem
for almost all of us at one time or another. And for some of us it can be
the primary cause why we choose to act out. There are several reasons why
believers in Jesus Christ continue to struggle with anger even after getting
extensive counseling to deal with it. (Been there, done that.)
A major reason has to do with the fact that many tend to
view anger, and emotions in general, in a NEGATIVE manner. These believers
would probably not explicitly say that emotions are "bad," but they are,
nevertheless, suspicious of emotions, concerned about being overly
emotional, and very reluctant to share their feelings with anyone. Our
churches are filled with people like this -- people who deep down feel that
feelings are not quite right and that they should not be acknowledged or
expressed. But the Bible does not teach or endorse this position.
According to Genesis 1:27, both men and women are created
in the image of God. Part of having that image means that we are emotional
beings. God becomes angry in situations (Num. 14:11-12) and therefore, so
do we. If God has emotions and expresses them, then having emotions and
expressing them cannot be intrinsically wrong. In fact, God wants us to
acknowledge our emotions and to express them PROPERLY, rather than to deny
or suppress them.
Ephesians 4:26 says, "Be angry, and yet do not sin ... ."
This verse contains two parts. The first is to "be angry," and the second
is to "not sin" when angry. Our first responsibility is to ACKNOWLEDGE the
anger when we are angry. Face it, we have no control over a primary emotion
when it is triggered. One cannot simply decide to become angry or not to
become angry. But a person can SUPPRESS or DENY an emotion, refusing to
acknowledge how he is feeling. And suppression and/or denial of feelings
can lead us into serious emotional problems.
God validates our anger as a legitimate emotion. We
therefore do not need to suppress or deny it. Bring it into His sunshine so
it can be destroyed in His Light.
"Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down
on your anger" (Eph. 4:26).
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