Day 14 – Read Proverbs 14
Defeating Angry Emotions
I love sports. But extreme competitiveness and the need to win have been a personal battle for me. But since God knows everything about me and how to best guide me, in His wisdom, He allowed me to witness a cursing, vein-popping, angry man play tennis.
Seriously! At one point, the guy threw his racquet and almost hit someone because he was so furious. In the heat of the moment, I said to myself, I bet I look like that sometimes. I still have a lot of growing to do in this area, but here are two principles I’ve observed to help you defeat anger.
People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness. – Proverbs 14:29 NLT
1. Wise people are slow to anger.
Far from needing “Rambo-like" revenge, wise people are slow to anger. They can more easily avoid outbursts of emotion (Proverbs 16:32) because they possess calm patience. Even God Himself has the quality of quiet steadfastness (Exodus 34:6).
Years ago, I was cleaning our house and noticed a single cheerio on the floor. In anger, I said to my wife and son, "Who dropped the cheerio on the floor?" They looked shocked, and then they laughed. Then I laughed at my foolishness on full display over one cheerio!
Proverbs 19:11 says, "Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” The word glory means beauty. We will be beautiful like God when we pursue higher goals like overlooking insults and being patient with friends, family, and even enemies. Author Ray Ortlund writes, "The Bible never says, 'God is wrath.' We have to provoke Him to wrath, but we do not have to provoke Him to love. Love for the undeserving flows from who God is." What grace!
2. Jesus forgives our anger.
In His grace, God overlooks our many offenses. Jesus has paid for every angry outburst on the cross, and because of that we will never see or feel God’s wrath. Instead of foolish anger, take the high road of grace and spread the peace of Christ (Colossians 3:15) to your friends, neighbors, families, and communities. Jesus is the hope our world is starving to see, inside you and me (1 Peter 3:15).
Dig Deeper
1. There are two types of anger: blowing-up or clamming-up. Which type are you? How can you love in those frustrating situations?
2. James 1:19 says we should be “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” In what specific ways can you be a better listener and slow to anger?
