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When Anger Gets the Best of Us

by Justin Morton

We may not like to admit it, but some of us struggle with anger. This emotion is a constant battle in the life of many people today. We become angry when we are upset or if something doesn’t go our way. Anger in and of itself is not a problem. However, allowing our anger to boil over and explode is. In fact, let’s just call it what it is: sinful. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26-27).

When we allow ourselves to hold on to our anger, we give the devil an opportunity to use our anger against us, causing us to sin. Just consider the life of King Saul for a moment. His jealousy of David caused the anger in his heart to boil over to the point he tried to kill David (I Samuel 18:10-11; 19:9-18). Thankfully, he was unsuccessful in his attempts on David’s life. Unfortunately, on another occasion, he was so angry over the priest Ahimelech helping David that he ordered him and all the priests of the city of Nob to be executed (I Samuel 22:6-23). All this happened because Saul became jealous of David and allowed his anger to control him. 

For many of us, we find ourselves involved in difficult situations because we allow our anger to get the best of us. Perhaps we say something we shouldn’t to our spouse or kids in anger and hurt them terribly. Maybe we react in anger to something someone said in a way that brought hurt and pain into the lives of those we love. I don’t know what has happened in your life, but some of the painful situations we find ourselves in are the direct result of us allowing our anger to get the best of us.

When we allow our anger to get the best of us, we lose control and respond in a sinful manner. Sure, we may feel better in that moment, but we leave behind a trail of pain, heartache and sin. Let’s learn from the example of Saul to control our anger so our anger doesn’t end up controlling us and causing us to say and do things we will live to regret.