“Make
no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, lest you
learn his ways, and set a snare for your soul”—Proverbs 22:23-24
Anger
can wreak havoc on both the body and soul, but its tentacles reach beyond the
individual and wrap around everyone in close
proximity. Bitter outbursts and silent resentment are not
just our own personal issues.
An angry spirit is
contagious. It is passed from one person to another—and
from one generation to the next. Workplaces
can become tense environments full of caustic words and attitudes. Anger turns homes into battlegrounds of
verbal explosions or silent hostility. Even
churches suffer from malicious gossip and fights over personal preferences.
God created us to live in fellowship with others, but anger can poison our relationships.
Tragically, those closest to us are the ones who suffer the most. Children learn to respond to life's situations
by observing their parents' example. They
then develop similar attitudes and patterns of behavior. We need to give serious thought to what kind
of heart we are passing down to our sons and daughters.
Thankfully, God is in the heart-changing business. Just as we learn an angry person's ways by
association, so we can learn right-eous
ways by walking closely with the Lord. Christ
calls us to come, learn from Him—and find rest for our souls “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest. Take My
yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you
will find rest fro your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29).
Which would you prefer: churning
anger or Christ's peace? Both require sacrifice. To maintain anger, you might have to forfeit healthy relationships and a godly
heritage for your descendants. But to acquire peace, ask God to help you
leave your grudges, personal rights, and insults on the altar. Why not do that today?
Prayer—Father I give
you my anger towards_________________. I
repent for harboring ill feelings, resentments, grudges, and anger and I ask
You to forgive me. I ask You to deliver
me from a spirit of anger and that Your peace to flood my mind and heart, in
Jesus Name. Amen.
