Controlling Your Anger
Psalm 4:4 (NLT) “Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.”
Every person on this earth has experienced anger in one form or another. In fact, there is a scripture that says to be angry but don’t sin. So, God allows us to experience anger, but He places limits. Some may feel the limitations are unfair. How do you not sin when you’re angry? The whole nature of getting angry is so that the built-up emotions can go somewhere.
God allows us to have anger because when it is properly guided, it moves us in the right direction towards righteousness. For example, when Jesus got angry in the Holy Temple because the Jews were selling products inside the temple. Out of anger, Jesus literally overturned the tables while yelling, “My Father’s house shall be a house of prayer!” Righteous anger can move you to act.
Selfish anger leads you to do something that benefits only you. Such as revenge. God clearly stated Revenge (vengeance) is mine! Especially when you have been wronged. You want to get even, pay back, or make the other person suffer the pain they caused you. God wants us to have His nature. No Christian should ever wish that another suffer, even though they deserve it.
Did you know it takes energy to get angry and maintain the intensity of anger? It is almost in the category of worry; worry is a slow burn of wasted energy. Anger can be a quick explosion of wasted energy or a slow burn of wasted energy that you carry with you for decades. The quicker you can let things go and turn the injustice over to the Lord, the quicker you will receive inner peace and wisdom to see the answers. Here is what happens when you harbor anger:
Ephesians 4:26, 27 (NLT) “And don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.”
Did you see that? God allows you to be angry, but He gave you a time limit. You need to have that anger resolved and turned over to the Lord by the time the Sun goes down. Have you ever wondered why God picked sundown? This is my guess. But consider this. On the Hebrew calendar, the day starts at sundown (in the evening). So, if you haven’t dealt with your anger by sundown, you have just carried that anger into the next day. God doesn’t want you to harbor anger for days. Why? Verse 27 explains why. Harboring anger for a length of time gives the enemy an opportunity to whisper words in your ear so that you turn that righteous anger into selfish anger. God quickly gets rid of His anger. “His anger is but for a moment…” (Psalm 30:5)
If you are dealing with anger, resolve it quickly. Tell God you don’t want to hang on to this anger anymore. When you do, forgiveness becomes easier, and you open the doorway of God’s grace to be poured out to you and the other person you were angry with.
Be Blessed!
Ron
Ron Cobbs Ministries © Copyright June 11th, 2026, All Rights Reserved