Tame your Anger
James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 1:20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Some years back when I was an undergraduate, I was opportune to be the course rep for one of my courses. We were to submit some paper works and I have to arrange everyone on a single file due to the high number of students in my department.
A colleague wrongly accused me of allowing some persons obstruct the file, this got me angry and I spoke out of annoyance, my anger prompted the course lecturer to come out of her office, collected his paper works and tore it into pieces because she knew what I went through since the begining of the day. Though it caused a minimal damage and I had to plead with her before she could accept the new paper work he did.
What if it is an irreplaceable damage.. That was how my anger would have destroy someone's career.
Sometimes when we are pressed with the circumstances around us, we tend to unleash our anger out and this will eventually cause unrepairable damage to us and to whom we are angry at.
Everyone gets angry at sometime. The only difference is how we deal with it or the intensity we deal with it. Some people blow up, other people clam up. Some people express it and others repress it,
Prophet Elijah had just been gifted the double portion of prophet Elijah's power, what an endowment, being full of the power and coming down from the place where Elijah was taken up to heaven, one of the first thing he did was to command the murder of forty-two children who mocked him of having a bald head.
2 Kings 2:24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
You may justify his action for their mockery, but these were children who have destinies to fulfil, no doubt they were ignorance of the power that Elijah just received or perhaps they were just children... If he had mercy on them, their lives could have a record, and they would have fulfilled their destiny. But their lives ended that day. Anger always have a dangerous repercussion.
In the same view, Moses whom God chose to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt was pushed to the wall by the consistent murmuring of the children of Israel who never for once appreciate God who has been helping them through the journey..
They murmured against moses and God for not having water to drink, so God instructed moses to touch the rock with his rod,
Numbers 20:2 And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 20:3 And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!
but unfortunately, he acted angrily.
Numbers 20:10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? 20:11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
His singular act of anger put an end to his journey to the promised land, and he was replaced immediately. Despite all his sacrifices he made throughout the journey, his plea and prayer could not reverse the decree of God.
Your act of anger may be the hindrance to your blessings and answered prayers.
There is no way there won't be means to get angry, but do not let your anger lead you to sin.. Be swift to hear, slow to speak.. And exhibit the act of forgiveness which the Lord commanded. Above all be filled with the holy spirit, for he will teach you all things.
God bless you.
Prayer key:
1. Lord, thank you for the blessing of today in Jesus Christ name.
2. Lord, forgive me for committing sin through my anger in Jesus Christ name.
3. Lord, give me the grace to tame my anger and be humble before you in Jesus Christ name.
4. Thank you Lord for answered prayers in Jesus Christ name. Amen.