Psalm 37:8-11 says, "Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm. For the wicked will be destroyed, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land. Soon, the wicked will disappear. Though you look for them, they will be gone. The lowly (humble) will possess the land and will live in peace and prosperity." Anger is an emotion that God has given us to motivate us to make positive change. For example, good anger is to be angry at sin. Jesus got angry at the religious leaders in the temple because they made the temple of God a market instead of a place of prayer. Ephesians 4:26 says, "In your anger, do not sin..." We can get angry and still not sin, but there is a point that will become sin if we let it control us and become enraged. Rage is an uncontrollable anger that can lead to saying demeaning (curse) words or committing violence. Rage can lead us to murder someone in our actions, minds, and thoughts. Losing a temper is similar to rage because our anger becomes uncontrollable.
Rage and losing a temper lead to sin and often destroy relationships. When we rage or lose our temper, we do not think godly or reasonably, like being drunk. One of the reasons we rage and lose our temper is when we are frustrated and want to control the situation. We want others to know our frustration, and we want them to meet our expectations. The other reason for rage and losing our temper is fear. We are afraid because the situation is a threat to us, and we are not in control. As believers, we need to walk in the Spirit of God by not allowing anger to control us. When we are frustrated and fearful, we need to immediately pray that God will help us with our anger. We can take a few deep breaths and even walk out of the situation to cool down. When we humble ourselves before God by surrendering our anger to Him, we will have His peace.
We can control our anger by God's power. If we have been angry at a person or a situation, let it go and forgive. Do not let others steal our peace away. Release the anger and receive God's peace in our minds and hearts. Rage and losing temper lead to chaos and destruction, but forgiveness and patience lead to peace and prosperity.
Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you). Why is rage and losing a temper a sin? Do I have a problem with rage or losing my temper? What should I do when I am angry?
Write down all the worries you face today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, would you please help me not to allow my anger to control me when I am frustrated or fearful? Please help me not to lose my temper and protect me from rage. Please help me to be patient and have self-control. Please help me to forgive and let go, and let you handle the mistake that has been made against me. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.