Anger Management – Part 3

Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city. Proverbs 16:32

The Bible says, ‘He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.’ As a Christian you have the Holy Spirit living within you, and one of the fruits of the Spirit is ‘self-control’ (see Galatians 5:23). That means as a Christian you can control your temper, and as a Christian you must control it. You say, ‘I get mad easily because I was born with that nature!’ You’re not supposed to live according to your old nature, but your new one! Anger is like a river. Controlled, it can generate enough electricity to power an entire city. Uncontrolled, it can overflow its banks and become a raging flood that destroys everything in its path. And as surely as a river can be controlled, so can your temper. Have you ever been in a big argument at home with your spouse or one of your kids? Suddenly the telephone rings; instantly you pick it up and answer in a soft, controlled tone, ‘Hello-o-o-o. May I help you?’ What just happened? You proved that your anger can be controlled and tamed. The Bible says, ‘People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness’ (Proverbs 14:29). Not everything is worth getting angry about. The more calmly you see a situation, the more clearly you’ll see how to handle it. So if you have a quick temper, here’s some good advice. When you’re angry, count to ten before you speak. And when you’re really angry, count to one hundred – then don’t say anything.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, forgive me when I get angry. Give me the self-control to control my anger for the sake of others, myself and You! In Jesus’ Name, Amen