Cease from Anger; Forsake Wrath

We all experience anger at one time or another. Today, in continuing on in our study of Psalm 37, we are going to look at what it means to cease from anger and forsake wrath, with practical steps to help you accomplish it.

The Bible has a lot to say on the topic of anger and wrath. My dear husband is focusing on the wrath of man vs the wrath of God in his bible study class on Sunday mornings. You can check out some of his content online (TikTok: @lightedpathwaychurch: YouTube: Daniel Fraire-Lighted Pathway).

Let's dive into some scripture:

Psalm 37:8 "Refrain from anger and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil."

Ephesians 4:26 "Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your wrath."

James 1:19-20 "Know this my beloved brothers; let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God."

Proverbs 14:29: "Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly."

Proverbs 16:32: "Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he rules his spirit than he who takes a city."

Proverbs 19:11: "Good sense makes on slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense."

Ephesians 4:31-32: "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you."

Proverbs 17:14;27-28 "The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out." "Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent."

Anger is an emotion. A feeling. Feelings are fickle. They change. Thank the Lord that they change!! Anger is an intense emotional response to a perceived offense, provocation, or threat. When anger becomes a predominant feeling, behaviorally, cognitively, and physiologically, a person makes a conscious choice to take action to stop whatever took place to cause the anger in the first place. This is what people recognize as a fight or flight response. There are physical attributes associated with anger when it wells up:

• accelerated heart rate

• elevated blood pressure

• increased adrenaline and noradrenaline

• increased cortisol

Being angry may win a moment, but it is not to be allowed to win the day. Anger and a desire for revenge can lead to a cycle of violence and sin. Judgement is ultimately God's role. (Deut. 32:35, Rom 12:17-19) Temporary earthly pleasures from sin result in terrible judgement in eternity. Do not let another person's conduct to be a means of leading you into sin. Do not allow your mind to become so excited that you would indulge in harsh words or actions to anyone, no matter how wicked or wrong they may be. Anger will keep us company this is why must resolve to forsake it. It can consume our thoughts and lead us into wrong behavior. This is why it is vital to our spiritual growth to learn how to effectively handle our anger when it arises.

How can we practically refrain from anger?

1. Recognize Your Triggers. If we can figure out what triggers our anger response, and why something bothers us so much, we can open our understanding to the root cause of the anger. Then we can give that root to God through prayer.

2. Return Evil with Kindness: Proverbs 15:1 " A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Next time someone says something to you that is harsh, sarcastic, or demeaning, practice responding in love.

3. Release is not Defeat: Learn that giving God your anger and letting go of the concept of revenge is not defeat, but ultimately a win.

4. Slow Down: We may sometimes speak before we think. Slow down, take a breath before you react. Be slow to anger.

5. Acknowledge Your Anger to God: Confess to God what is in your heart. Take that time to just vent to Him. He knows you; He loves you. He sees how it can and does affect you. Give your anger to Him. Also, take a moment and speak to the person that upset you. Let them know what they did or said made you angry. It could be a misunderstanding that can be resolved quickly in this manner. Don't just let it eat at you.

Proverbs 28:13 "Whoever conceals transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy."

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Anger is an intense, core emotion. We all experience it. It's how we handle our anger that determines our ultimate outcome. Instead of taking our feelings out on others, we can harness that energy and refocus it to love and live by the Spirit in the hope that our lives would look different from the rest of the world. By doing this, others can know that we are Christians, by our love, not our carnal responses.

I'll finish this study up with the differences and similarities between anger and wrath and how we can develop strategies to overcome them in the next post. til then, be blessed by being a blessing.

Steps from another article by Emma Danzey, www.crosswalk.com