43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? —Matthew 5:43-47
The past two days, we’ve talked about our anger problem. But why do we get so angry? Why is it so hard to let go of offenses?
There’s no easy, one-size-fits-all answer because anger has many sources. Sometimes anger is an indicator of a bigger problem. And in that case, it’s wise to get help from a counselor, pastor, or trusted friend.
But let’s take a look at the collective anger we’re experiencing in culture. Why are most of us so offended all the time?
Part of it is that our anger is now publicly documented. People used to get angry and move on. Now, people post on social media when they’re angry, which fuels more outrage.
We also have to remember that we have a real enemy whose mission is to steal, kill, and destroy. And our human anger feeds right into that plan.
Now remember: Anger itself is just an emotion—not a sin. But what we do with that anger can become a problem. In fact, here are three ways our anger can lead to destruction.
It divides us. We’ve all been there. You see a relative or a close friend share something you disagree with, and you’re immediately triggered. Your blood is boiling, and your gut reaction is to retaliate, respond harshly, or unfriend them altogether. But here’s the thing: A divided world needs a unified church. We need one another. And if we shut out people we disagree with, we rob ourselves of the opportunity to learn, grow, and share God’s love.
It distracts us. Our anger can sometimes distract us with earthly concerns instead of eternal matters. That doesn’t mean we ignore the things Jesus cares about or passively ignore injustices that hurt God’s kids. But it does mean that we can’t allow our anger to keep us from loving like Jesus.
It discredits us. When we’re constantly angry, people won’t see the love of Jesus in us. Yes, sometimes Jesus got angry. But He was known for His love, not for His anger. We’re not called to be right. We’re called to love. So let’s not discredit our testimony by confirming the idea that Christians are hypocritical, judgmental, or bitter.
Let’s let go of the anger that keeps us captive. And instead, let’s be like Christ, who didn’t let His anger lead to sin. His love was powerful enough to cover both the oppressed and the oppressor. And we’re called to do the same—to right wrongs without writing people off and to seek justice while also loving mercy.
Pray: God, I don’t want my anger to divide, distract, or discredit my ability to show Your love to others. Show me any areas where my anger has become a problem, and humble me. Help me be known for my love, not my anger. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Have you ever thought it would be cool to hear some C3 leaders discuss the daily verses, share about their lives and mostly just talk about nonsense? Of course not!…even though nobody has ever thought that we are still doing it. You can follow along with us each morning in a brand new podcast – Wednesday’s Anger & Aaron Crying.
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