Posted in Devotions from Others

This was written by my Pastor's daughter, she is 13 and very talented. You can see her blog at Alizona

Anger and Its Effects

One of the things I like about God is what the Bible says in Nehemiah 9:17, “…but thou are a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness…” The Bible also says in Nahum 1:3, “The Lord is slow to anger…” Isn’t that a blessing that he is longsuffering? We should also be like him and not get angry quickly. James 1 mentions that we should be slow to wrath.

Did you know that a person who does not get angry easily is better than the mighty (see Proverbs 16:32)? A mighty man has a lot of physical strength, but he that controls himself has emotional and spiritual strength, which is much better. The Lord will not reward you for your physical strength, but you will be rewarded for your spiritual strength.

Why do people get angry? I think most of the time it is because things are not going the way they think they should. Anger is almost always the result of selfishness or discontent. That is not the right reason to be angry. Being angry because something crosses you is wrong -- that is selfishness. Also, if you are angry, you are disobeying God’s commandment to think of others before yourself. See Philippians 2:4.

Anger has negative effects. God wants us to rejoice in him, and for good reason. People who are constantly angry don’t have as many (if any!) friends as someone who is pleasant to be around. Who enjoys being around someone who is angry? The Bible says that we should not make friends with an angry person (see Proverbs 22:24-25). That verse says that if we hang around angry people long enough, we will become like them.

Anger can make you sick. Being angry or uptight can give you ulcers. Proverbs 14:17 says, “He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly:” When you are angry you may make foolish choices that you will wish you hadn’t made.

There is a right reason to get angry, though most of the time we humans are angry at the wrong thing. Psalm 7:11 says, “…God is angry with the wicked every day.” It is right to be angry at sin. The Bible says, “Be ye angry and sin not.” James 1:20 says, “The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”

Jonah was asked of the Lord, “Doest thou well to be angry?” His response showed how anger had gotten the best of him, “I do well to be angry, even unto death.”  Anger can consume your emotions, and leave you in a state of mind that is utterly useless to the Lord, as was shown by Jonah’s condition. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, leave your future in his hands, and rejoice in what and where he takes you, and you will have the victory over the sin of anger.