NO HUMAN IS INFALLIBLE
Have you ever wondered why Moses – one of the greatest prophets who ever walked the earth – had his ministry brought to an abrupt end? Well, the answer can be found in Numbers 20:7-12.
Moses’ account though quite intriguing, highlights the fact that God is still able to use any one despite their deficiencies. More importantly, this account also highlights that God expects us to find lasting solutions to our deficiencies. One such deficiency of man is Anger.
Anger can be described as a feeling of vexation. The danger with anger occurs when it becomes protracted and threatens to consume its bearer. The resultant effect is usually unpleasant. Hence knowing how to manage anger is an important prescription for leading a successful Christian life.
BIBLICAL VIEWPOINTS
There are a few fundamental truths about anger that need to be explored herein.
First and foremost, the tendency to become angry is an inherent characteristic of man. The first case of anger recorded against man was in Genesis 4:5. Ever since, man has always struggled to tame this ugly side of himself.
Secondly, while we reserve every right to be angry (due to our innate limitations), God expects every display of anger to be “short-lived” and not result in sin (Ephesians 4:26, Psalms 30:5).
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Thirdly, the Bible warns against any display of anger that takes us away from God’s promises. When that happens, we become easily vulnerable to the dictates of the flesh and often end up acting in ways that are filled with regrets (Exodus 2:11-12).
DEALING WITH ANGER
The desire of every Christian is to always stay connected to God despite the limitations that anger imposes on us. The tips below are helpful when we go through moments of anger:
- Acknowledge: We must acknowledge that we’re angry. We don’t have to be in self-denial. Doing so will equip us for the next steps in the healing process.
- Separate: We must momentarily separate ourselves from the heated situation(s). This would help us to “sanely” re-assess the root cause of the vexation.
- Resolve: We must make conscious effort to “genuinely” resolve the matter with those involved.
We must learn not to give anger room to thrive in our lives. We must never let the sun go down on our anger (Ephesians 4:26).
