Anger
"Let us not be too quick to assume our anger is sinful."
Quote by Dane Ortlund
In his book, Gentle and Lowly, Dane Ortlund says beautifully, “Emotions are an essential part of being human. Our emotions are diseased by the fall, of course, just as every part of fallen humanity is affected by the fall. But emotions are not themselves a result of the fall.”
Emotion is not sinful in itself, but rather, it can be difficult to control our emotions as human beings. It is even more difficult to be aware of our actions when we are blinded by our anger. Anger is an intense emotion that can easily be entangled with sin. It is a state of high emotion, resulting from one’s sense of morality - in particular, feeling intensely that something is wrong and should not be the way it is.
Imagine a parent sitting down with their child who had an intense emotional moment, puffed up with anger. Out of love, the father is worried not because of the emotion the child is experiencing, but because of the actions the child might take in expressing anger. The father gives the child wisdom and guidance on how to express anger, because he doesn’t want the child hurting him/herself or others in the process.
Anger has many forms and expressions. It can look like verbal aggression or physical aggression. It can sometimes be hidden in passive-aggressive sarcasm and indirect expressions. Or it can be self-destructive, making self-sabotaging choices. Anger can be any combination of these and is different for everyone.
What is the Christian perspective on anger? It's profoundly permissible to express anger when the occasion is appropriate. I love how Ortlund states in the book, “a compassion-less Christ could never have gotten angry at the injustices all around him, the severity and human barbarity, even that flowing from the religious elite. No, compassion and indignation rise together in His soul. It is the father who loves his daughter most whose anger rises most fiercely if she is mistreated” (pg 109). Jesus, full of love and compassion, felt anger.
Following the example of Christ, we should feel the emotion of anger. But where it comes from and how we choose to express it matters. Psalm 145 teaches us about the character of God and how he is slow to anger.” Slow to anger is an intentional action that delays judgment, giving room for growth, mercy, and forgiveness.
What if we, as Christians, look through a different lens of how we see the emotion of anger?
Bible Verse
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are— yet He did not sin.”
Hebrews 4:15
“Be angry and do not sin.”
Ephesians 4:26
“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.”
Psalm 145:8
Additional scripture to reflect on:
Hebrews 2:17
Isaiah 53:4
John 11:33
Acts 10:38
Matthew 20:30-34
Mark 1:40-41
Luke 7:12-13
Reflections
When was the last time you felt shame from the emotion of anger?
When you experience anger, what is the main source the emotion is coming from? Is it out of grief (loss), distress (emotional suffering), or the belief of injustice (interpretation of fairness), or humiliation (pride)?
How can anger be redirected into something healthy or constructive? (example: talking it out, sports/hobbies, developing healthy self-talk, building up self esteem, choosing forgiveness, relaxation techniques, slowing down reactions, and notice when you start to ruminate on dissatisfaction thoughts).
Reflecting on your expression of anger, where do you think you learned how to express your anger from? How can we shape our expression to look more like Jesus?
