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The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. (Psalm 145:8-9)
Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. (Proverbs 29:11)
Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret – it leads only to evil. (Psalm 37:8)
In your anger, do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. (Ephesians 4:26)
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:31-32)
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. (James 1:19-20)
DEVOTIONAL
What’s your hot button...is it traffic, your child’s tantrums, your spouse’s tone, or your demanding boss? Everyone experiences the emotion of anger, but some of us struggle controlling our response to the emotion. We feel guilty for spewing words we didn’t mean, or impulsively reacting in the heat of the moment. Perhaps you’ve tried anger management strategies without success and wondered, when am I going to get it together?
There is hope. We serve a God who is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. Jesus is steady, constant, unwavering, and unchanging. Nothing takes Him by surprise or causes Him to be impulsive or reactionary. He knows the difference between righteous anger and carnal anger. He knows how to respond with grace even in the midst of great rejection, hurt, and betrayal. If He can handle the cross, He can handle your road rage.
The beautiful part about putting our trust in Jesus is that His aim isn’t to show you the gap between where you are and where He is—His goal is to transform you into His image. As you focus on Him, worship Him, and make Him the object of your affection, He will teach you how to respond like He responds. His Spirit will guide you in difficult conversations, pet peeves, and yes, even traffic jams.
DECLARATION
I can be angry in a proper way. I will not lose control or hurt others as I express my anger. I will listen more, respond in gentle ways, and seek to have meaningful conversations rather than shouting matches. I pray about everything, seeking God’s guidance and peace in all my relationships.
PRAYER
Jesus, thank you that you provide me with strength when I feel weak. I pray that your gentleness and self-control will overflow in my life. I pray for peace to guard my heart and mind. Help me to be quick to listen and slow to become angry. In Jesus’ name, amen.