The tragic Boston Marathon bombing this week elicited righteous anger all across this country. And rightfully so. This kind of anger is not sinful in and of itself. Ephesians 4:26 says, "Be angry and sin not." NASB When someone has committed an injustice against another person or even us, this is sinful. When someone is raped, we should have righteous anger. When someone is sexually abused, we should have righteous anger. When there is human trafficking, we should have righteous anger. When someone tries to control us, we may feel righteous anger. You get the idea. When we have righteous anger, we need to pray, ask Christ to live through us and respond as God leads. However, our response to righteous anger will never lead us to act sinfully in a way that displeases the Lord.
Another kind of anger is sinful anger. This anger has many faces such as bitterness, resentment, rage, unforgiveness, the silent treatment, all kinds of abuse, unresolved fear and more. A 23 year old man I've known since he was a baby has been in anger management but has never dealt with his inner anger. He is currently incarcerated because all of the counseling he has been under has never gotten to the root of his problem. You see, anger arising from our past must be quelled by facing our anger and forgiving those we are angry with including ourselves. You would be amazed at how many people we counsel at Grace Life International who have self-hatred. Ephesians 4:31-32 says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice forgiving one another just as God in Christ has forgiven us." NASB
Forgiveness is something most Christians know they need to do but few understand how to do it Biblically, such that, it really heals their hearts. It is probably one of the greatest hindrances we help people work through so they can experience Christ in them as their Life. Time does not permit me to write about it in this space, but I will say that when we forgive Biblically, we must tell God how each person and event made us feel, then tell Him we forgive that person though usually they do not deserve it.
When we have sinful anger, we also need to confess that sin to God and receive the forgiveness that is already ours in Christ. Even those who do forgive from their hearts Biblically, often leave this part out and wonder why they still don't have peace.
Another reason for anger, that I should mention here, is that which is a consequence of biological issues such as exhaustion, some medications, untreated clinical depression, and some illnesses. The solution to this is to get our body healthy as much as we possibly can.
Giving up our rights can also be a powerful weapon in defeating sinful anger. We share the Biblical basis for this in our counseling and ADT every week resulting in great freedom for individuals and marriages.
If you have a habit of experiencing and expressing sinful anger, please get help! You are hurting and rejecting people you love and are offending many as well. Please call us for a free counseling consultation whether live or by Skype. 704-522-9026.
Live Free in Christ,
Another kind of anger is sinful anger. This anger has many faces such as bitterness, resentment, rage, unforgiveness, the silent treatment, all kinds of abuse, unresolved fear and more. A 23 year old man I've known since he was a baby has been in anger management but has never dealt with his inner anger. He is currently incarcerated because all of the counseling he has been under has never gotten to the root of his problem. You see, anger arising from our past must be quelled by facing our anger and forgiving those we are angry with including ourselves. You would be amazed at how many people we counsel at Grace Life International who have self-hatred. Ephesians 4:31-32 says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice forgiving one another just as God in Christ has forgiven us." NASB
Forgiveness is something most Christians know they need to do but few understand how to do it Biblically, such that, it really heals their hearts. It is probably one of the greatest hindrances we help people work through so they can experience Christ in them as their Life. Time does not permit me to write about it in this space, but I will say that when we forgive Biblically, we must tell God how each person and event made us feel, then tell Him we forgive that person though usually they do not deserve it.
When we have sinful anger, we also need to confess that sin to God and receive the forgiveness that is already ours in Christ. Even those who do forgive from their hearts Biblically, often leave this part out and wonder why they still don't have peace.
Another reason for anger, that I should mention here, is that which is a consequence of biological issues such as exhaustion, some medications, untreated clinical depression, and some illnesses. The solution to this is to get our body healthy as much as we possibly can.
Giving up our rights can also be a powerful weapon in defeating sinful anger. We share the Biblical basis for this in our counseling and ADT every week resulting in great freedom for individuals and marriages.
If you have a habit of experiencing and expressing sinful anger, please get help! You are hurting and rejecting people you love and are offending many as well. Please call us for a free counseling consultation whether live or by Skype. 704-522-9026.
Live Free in Christ,
Mark Maulding, President and Founder
www.GraceLifeInternational.com
All Content Copyright © 2013 Mark Maulding
