Victor Frankl, the famous psychiatrist, went through Auchwitz, the Nazi concentration camp in WWII.  He said, “They took my clothes, my wife, my kids, and even my wedding ring.  I stood naked before the SS and I realized they can take everything in my life but they cannot take my freedom to choose how I will respond to them.”

This is a freedom you will always have.  How do I react?  How do I choose to react to those people who hurt me, who offend me, or who irritate me?

We hear people talk about their anger.  “I don’t know why I am this way, or, I’m just like my dad.”  Some will say, “I’m not happy with my behavior, it just comes out.”  

But the truth is our responses and our reactions are a choice. As believers, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit which enables us to respond like Jesus.

Not all anger is wrong.  Not all anger is sinful.  Paul wrote to the Ephesians with this caution – Ephesians 4:26 – “In your anger do not sin.”

How do you become angry without sinning?  You stop, you pray, you don’t react, you don’t make it worse, you forgive – it’s not easy!

Anger is a God-given emotional response that is usually tied to a goal, or a value, or an expectation.  It usually ignites when we feel invalidated or rejected.  It is expressed, depending on our personality, in two ways: by exploding or by imploding.

Righteous anger - This is anger directed at injustice.  It is anger at acts that violate the gospel or at things that offend God.  Ex…Jesus cleaning out the temple.

But let’s be honest for a minute.  The vast majority of anger does not fall into the category of righteous indignation.  I would guess that the vast majority of our anger is the result of having our own interests violated in one way or another.

Much of our anger is aimed at things that are not that important, things that really don’t matter, and things that really don’t merit our anger.

•Being cut off in traffic

•Having to wait in line somewhere

•Poor customer service

•Being ignored or neglected

•Your internet connection is too slow

Other times the issue is more serious, yet we sometimes to lack the ability to control our anger.  Perhaps it’s:

•Communication issues in the marriage

•Behavioral problems with the children

•A teacher who has been unfair

•Your college age child wastes tuition money on miscellaneous and unnecessary things

•Maybe you are angry at God – for the things he has allowed

In the New Testament book of James we have a clear word for followers of Jesus. It’s found in James 1:19-20 and I hope this helps you today. Here’s what the Bible says…

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”

In these two short verses we see four powerful principles: be quick to listen, be slow to speak, be slow to become angry, and recognize that human anger does not produce a righteous life.

Today’s Challenge: If anger is a stronghold in your life, you need the power of the Holy Spirit to react in a Christ honoring way. Begin to pray that God would give you a gentle spirit that reflects the character of Jesus.