Angry Christian

THE ANGRY CHRISTIAN
Ernie Johnson


ANGER! Everyone feels it, experiences it, wrestles with it, and observes the devastating effects it has on people's lives. Anger is an emotion that boils up from within one's deepest recesses, often taking control of the mind and body, resulting in destructive thoughts, words and actions. Many times it brings one to the point of no return in relationships, tearing apart churches, homes, and businesses. The fact that anger is damaging, has been witnessed throughout history. It is a part of fallen human nature, demonstrated in lives from Cain through the prophets, and even visited Jesus when He drove out the money-changers from the temple. Anger most often manifests itself suddenly and at inconvenient times, resulting in embarrassment, frustration, and a deep wounding in relationships.

Anger may be inevitable, but there is a way to battle anger, rather than allowing its fury to become master. One must learn to defuse anger so it isn't freely vented upon the nearest target. Scripture warns:
"In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." (Ephesians 4:26 27).

The Bible also implores believers to:
"Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry,for a man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires" (James 1:29-30).

Therefore, if the Bible is accepted as the inerrant word of God, then uncontrolled, vented anger, cannot be thought pleasing to God. For this reason Christians must strive to take measures in preventing such outbursts.

The first step is to understand that one's anger comes not from other people's actions, but from within themselves. This is where the battle must be fought and won, if believers are to be victorious against anger, and to be effective witnesses for the Lord. The Apostle Peter tells us to "prepare your minds for action..." (1 Peter 1:13), indicating the battle is fought in the mind and victory comes when minds are transformed by the truth found only in Jesus Christ. Make no mistake, controlling anger is a spiritual battle, a battle that must be fought daily, against an enemy that gives no opportunity for rest. Anger most often comes to call when one is exhausted, hungry, or frustrated--- when one is weakest and most vulnerable. Then, when temper is lost, or anger is turned into rage, believers are blinded to the needs and lives of others. Ground is lost to Satan, along with the believer's credibility, for anger destroys not only the belief of others, but individual testimony and effectiveness as well. To actively battle anger one needs to focus on something or someone, that will allow anger to be seen for what it really is; a tactic of the enemy to destroy Christian witness.

The most effective way to do this is to focus on Jesus and His majesty, yielding only to Him, allowing His love to expose any anger for the ultimate purpose of repentance and forgiveness. One should recognize that one individual does not have the power to make another angry, but rather, individual's have the power to choose whether or not to act on angry feelings. One of the best ways to help in dealing with anger is to enlist the help of a close friend that is willing to assist in the exploration of angry feelings, and one who will then point to our Lord for emotional healing. Many times, when "true" feelings are suppressed, frustration and anger result. The Holy Spirit, who "leads us into all truth," reveals underlying feelings that may be beneath the anger and will assist in the process of allowing hidden feelings to emerge, thus bringing peace to the soul.

Believers are called to be holy, and to be witnesses for the Lord Jesus, allowing the world to see His love and His promise. What better way to destroy this witness than to allow anger to gain control over bodies, minds, and emotions? If the world is to be evangelized, and the lost won to Christ, the problem of residing anger must first be addressed. Through prayer, fellowship, friends, and counsel, this enemy called anger must be challenged and conquered, setting free believers to be witnesses for the Lord.

When uncontrolled anger is displayed, does such action really bear witness to changed lives in Jesus? Or does the anger only succeed in scaring away the lost souls Christians should be fishing for? Many fishermen attest that when they become angry they no longer catch fish, and no distinction is made between attitude or actions. The underlying factor is that angry fishermen do not concentrate on fishing. Evangelism and witnessing are often compared to fishing, and that is good, for Jesus said He would make His disciples "fishers of men".

Therefore, before starting to fish, anger must be conquered and the love of Christ must be evident in the Christian’s life. Happy fishing, and remember this:
ANGRY FISHERMEN CATCH NO FISH.