In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.

- Ephesians 4:26

We all feel anger. It is a normal human emotion.

However, God’s Word tells us not to sin in our anger and not to let the sun go down while we are still mad.

I remember my grandpa telling me those words years ago when I was younger. He would say, “Tell your ole grandpa what’s wrong.” When I did, he would tell me, “It’s okay to feel anger, but it’s more important to work things out when possible and forgive others before you go to bed.”

As a child, I didn’t really understand the importance of letting go of anger. However, as an adult, I do.

I realize now that anger left to sit turns into bitterness, which will eat you up inside.

So, what is anger?

Anger is usually a secondary response to one or more deeper root causes. It occurs when there is a strong emotion of irritation or agitation over an unmet need or expectation.

Typically, when you get to the root of anger, you discover that the anger really originated from hurt, fear, or injustice.

And while anger itself is not a sin, how we react to it can be. Anger is a normal God-given emotion. The Bible does not tell us that we shouldn’t feel angry.

But it tells us that how we express anger determines whether or not it becomes a sin.

That’s why Ephesians 4:26 tells us, “In your anger do not sin:” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. So how do we experience anger and not sin?

First, we need to understand the source of our anger—where did it come from?

Next, we need to realize that it is never God’s desire that we use anger as a tool to get our needs met. Instead, we are to constructively react in all circumstances with control while expressing our feelings appropriately.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for understanding my hurt and anger. Please help me to be slow to anger and quick to forgive. Amen.  

With Love,
Sherry Shepherd