Anger

Col. 3:8

But now you must also put them all away: anger, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

 

 

What causes anger to rise up and take control of a person? I know in the past anger would rise and take control when I thought people were not logical, would not listen, or were just irritating. I always felt justified in my anger because of the way that I had been treated. But the truth of the matter is that each of these irritants were an affront to my rights. I felt I had a right to be understood, to be heard and to be respected. But do I really?

 

Colossians says that anger must be put to death just like immorality,impurity, etc. Anger is on the same list as other really heinous vices. Then why is it so hard to consider it dead? I think it comes down to self. As long as my 'self' is on the throne of my life, Jesus is not. Therefore, to live in newness of life, I must put my 'self' to death. It is something that I cannot allow or justify for any reason no matter how logical I think it is. When I allow anger a place in my life, it limits my room for the things that I should put on. Prov. 15:1 gives me a strategy to handling these difficult situation. A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Is my speech harsh? Has my anger manifested itself in a soft answer? James answers this issue clearly. Know this beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. I can not desire the righteousness of God and make a place for anger in my life. Anger must leave. I must Put to death what is earthly in me...Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. There it is! On one side I have anger with all its frustration and shame, but on the other side I am being renewed in knowledge after the image of my creator. It should be a no-brainer!

 

Father,

Guide me and teach me how to put to death earthly things that still try and hang on. I want to be renewed in Your knowledge.

In Jesus name,

Amen