The Truth About Anger
How easily do you get angry?
Verse of the Day
“But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.”
Today’s Devotional
Let’s read this entire teaching of Jesus. “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.” (Matthew 5:21-26)
What is Jesus teaching us here? He is upping the ante on the commandment not to murder. We are being taught that our anger is destructive. Jesus is telling me that I do not have the right, authority, or permission to treat anyone harshly because of anger. And…because God is good and kind and all-knowing, He has allowed me to struggle with this exact thing this week. He has forced me to wrestle with the unlovely behavior of others which makes me want to lash out. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit helped me to hold my tongue. Then, I got a phone call this morning from someone who was VERY angry with another person. I was allowed to witness how unbecoming anger is. How prone to divide and isolate. How the anger doesn’t serve this person. It will lead to harm spiritually, emotionally, and relationally if left unchecked.
I prayed when this person called me this morning. I asked God for His wisdom and His words. The words He gave me to say seem to fit here as well when we are looking for what Jesus is teaching us about how to handle our anger.
-Pray for the person with whom you are angry. Pray for that person to receive the same blessings in their life that you would ask God to give you: peace, joy, abundance, an awareness of God’s love, health, serenity, purpose, fellowship, love.
-Pray for God to help you to forgive this person for any offense or hurt they have caused. (This does not require communication with the offender. This is heart work between you and God.)
-Pray for God to allow you to see this person the way HE sees them.
My encouragement to myself, since I clearly need to practice this, is that my emotions do not need to be in line before I begin to pray. Or after I pray. Or ever. I need to be willing to obey regardless of how I feel.
Jesus is teaching me that reconciliation is more important than being right (or wrong). He is teaching me that I can only handle my own actions and words, no matter how others behave. He is telling me that we must actively attempt to settle our differences. All of this requires that I not be guided and controlled by my own will. It requires full surrender to God’s will. This is heart work, people. Jesus never said that following Him would be easy. In fact, He said quite the opposite. But He also said, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Do we want to be free?
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
How, when, and why do you get angry?
How have angry words or actions of another person hurt you?
What is Jesus teaching you today?
Who are you angry with and how can you pray for them today?