Anger is a powerful human emotion. We use many words to describe it: annoyed, frustrated, provoked, dissatisfied, distraught, indignant, cross, troubled, upset, mad, vexed, uptight - and so forth. Anger shatters communication and tears relationships apart. Some of us repress it, hold it in, or ignore it, only to find that it simmers away until sometime later we explode and spill over. Others just 'dump it' on people - they 'get it off their chest' and blow up at someone, then feel better. In the Bible, anger is not always sin. God is angry (Psalm 7:11; Mark 3:5), and believers are commanded to be angry (Ephesians 4:26). Two Greek words are used in the New Testament for our English word 'anger'. One (orge) means 'passion, energy'; the other (thumos) means 'agitated, boiling'. Biblically, anger is God-given energy intended to help us solve problems. Examples of biblical uses of anger include Paul confronting Peter because of his wrong example in Galatians 2:11-14, and Jesus getting angry over how some of the Jews had defiled the Gentiles' place of worship at God's temple in Jerusalem (John 2:13-18). But anger can easily turn to sin when it is selfishly motivated (James 1:20), In Psalm 4, David has good cause to be angry. His opponents were rubbishing his reputation, but on this occasion he takes a spiritual approach to managing his anger and calls to the Lord his God to help him manage his emotions. Then he can lie down and sleep in peace and safety. Do not let the sun go down on your wrath. NBF meet 6.30 Sundays -phone 01834 861391 or just visit!
