"In your anger do not sin." Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. Ephesians 4:26
Anger is so often followed by violence against ourselves or others that it is hard to believe that one can be angry and not sin. If anger grows out of selfishness, it will always lead to sin. But if it results from outrage over wrong, it has a better chance of being followed by mercy. Some people hide their anger and deny they have it, but it eventually leaks out in ways harmful to themselves and others. Christians sometimes don't want to admit to themselves the anger they feel because they think anger in itself is sinful. They do not recognize that feeling sorry for themselves or feeling "hurt" can be a veiled way of expressing anger.
The cure for sinful anger is honest confession, forgiveness, and love. These come from God, not from inside us. Jesus Christ is God's evidence of His forgiveness and love. On the cross God's anger is poured out in a healing way for us. God is no longer angry with us but loves us sinners even while He hates our sin and waits for us to repent. We can learn to live with our anger by being honest with ourselves and by living under the relief of Christ's forgiveness toward us.
PRAYER: Lord, help us face our anger honestly and find the healing grace to forgive and love again; in Jesus' name. Amen.
(Devotions from "The Abundant Life" copyright 1998, CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time e-mailing of this link to a friend. For information on other devotional material, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit CPH at www.cph.org.)
Today's Bible Readings: 1 Kings 19-20 Acts 13:26-52
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