“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.
But when I’m angry I want to scream.
Alright, go press your face in a pillow and scream as loud as you can.
But I want to hit something.
Alright, go get a pillow and start punching.
But I want to hurt something.
Not alright.
Anger is a very strong emotion. It is not a sin to be angry. It is an emotion God gave us. He even expresses anger at times. But what we do when we are angry makes all the difference in the world. There can be huge effects that go way beyond your personal feelings. Go ahead and feel the anger. Let it out, but make sure that you don’t sin in the process. Hit the pillow. Scream into the pillow. But don’t cuss your children out. Don’t use them as the punching bag. Don’t spread false rumors about someone out of anger. Don’t betray a confidence. The Apostle Paul wrote the words we are reading today and he reminds us that though we can feel that anger it should be short lived. Don’t go to sleep still angry so that it can fester. When you do that, the devil is gleefully rubbing his hands together. Oh, once you are asleep the whispers start. He’ll help that anger fester. Before you know it the next day has arrived and you are angrier and more vengeful than you were before. Stop it now before it gets out of hand and you make a fool of yourself. If at all possible, try to reconcile with the person before sleep claims you. If you cannot do it, reconcile your anger with God. Release it to Him and let the devil moan and wail. Let him be angry instead and you have a peaceful night’s sleep.
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