Thursday, March 8, 2012

Keep Your "Anger Tank" Empty

"If you are angry, don't sin by nursing your grudge. Don't let the  sun go down with you still angry—get over it quickly; for when you are angry you give a mighty foothold to the devil." -Ephesians 4:26   (TLB).


According to a report in the John Hopkins Family Health report, "If  you have a tendency to anger easily, you may be at increased risk for  a heart attack or stroke—especially if you have heart disease or  significant heart disease risk factors. Other tip-offs that anger may  be undermining your health include being  stubborn, impatient, or  hotheaded, and habitually feeling like you want to hit someone or  something."


Anger, too, is a great destroyer of relationships. It's no wonder  that the Bible teaches us to resolve it quickly—the same day wherever  possible. Being angry is not a sin. It's what we do with it that  counts. The Bible also teaches, "Be angry, sin not." - Ephesians 4:26.
One way to do this is to "speak the truth in love."


Some well-meaning people want to blame the devil or a "demon of  anger." Not so with me. My anger is my problem. But when I fail to  resolve it (or any other pent-up negative emotion) I give a "foothold  to the devil." When I resolve my anger, the devil loses his foothold.


People who have a super-sensitive anger button usually have  unresolved anger from the past with an "anger tank" that is filled to  overflowing. The slightest offense can trigger an outburst of hurtful  anger. They've been nursing grudges for a long time. This is what the
Bible teaches us not to do. That is, "don't sin by nursing your  grudge." Where this is a problem, very often qualified counseling is  needed to help resolve it.


Unresolved anger is unhealthy physically, emotionally, relationally,  and spiritually. This is why the Bible teaches, "Don't let the sun go  down on your anger. Resolve and get over it quickly."

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