Controlling anger

"Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs."      

                                                                                                        Proverbs 29:11 NLT 

This is a practice that we all need to be in control of. Reacting to things in an angry manner can lead to all kinds of problems. It can separate people and also land you in very serious positions with the authorities. It also breaks relationships.

Proverbs 19:11 in The Amplified Bible offers this:

'Good sense and discretion make a man slow to anger, and it is his honour and glory to overlook transgression or an offence [without seeking revenge and harbouring a resentment]. James also makes mention of being, 'Slow to anger' in James 1:19.

1 Corinthians 13:5 tells us that love keeps no record of being wronged, and this is the most important part of controlling our anger. It takes discipline to hold our anger in. When someone has wronged us, the natural thing to do is to retaliate. However, as I mention quite a lot, we are not natural people, we are supernatural; we belong to God and He would have us learn to handle things the way He would.

It is all about self-discipline and this takes practice. We can't just expect to be blessed with the ability to withhold angry feelings when we first become Christians. It can take years of practice but, as we submit to God at every opportunity, it can be accomplished. Think of it this way, when we are offended, hurt or treated very badly, there is a strong man within us that is longing to get out and sort the situation out in a very worldly manner. In order to prevent this, we have to restrain this strong man.

Actually, it is not far wrong to look at it this way because, in certain situations the devil oppresses us and attempts to get us to react in an angry or hostile manner, when we are hurt. We have to take control at once before it gets out of hand and we blow our witness and cause possible mayhem. When we are not in control, nasty words can be spoken and they can seem like a dagger to the person who receives them. Once spoken they can never be taken back. Therefore, it is so important to be in control instead of being controlled.

Stop keeping a record of the wrongs people have done to you. It serves no purpose other then to wind you up. Get rid of the record and instead, forgive and love them. Hard to do, yes, but it is what Jesus would do.

Copyright 2021 Grahame Howard.                                 

dailylifewithjesusbygrahamehoward.blogspot.com          

If you would like to contact me, CLICK HERE

Member of the National Association of Christian Ministers

Why not order my Daily Commentary from Amazon - Paperback or Kindle 

Check it out

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B084G9S4FD/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2