There’s a difference between righteous anger and ungodly anger. As we trust God, we can often discern the difference in our own lives. As we trust God to guide, he prompts us to take action and speak out when it will honor him. And he challenges us to still ourselves and salve our anger when it will not.
Satan often attempts to unhinge that anger so that we blast shrapnel throughout our lives and others’ as we are unrestrained.
We need to lean into God and his definition of anger not only with ourselves but with others—especially with people who aren’t sensitive to the difference between what is and isn’t righteous, perhaps because they are indifferent about God. We cannot respond to their anger with the same approach we can use with ourselves. The filter is different.
We always need to honor God, but he will sometimes lead us a bit differently when we experience harshness from someone who doesn’t know or seek him. I have experienced people who have had such an extreme reaction to something that seems to be so small—sometimes even justifying it as righting a wrong—but it is often rooted in their own feelings of discomfort. Sometimes that discomfort comes from a past experience of God’s presence that now makes them uncomfortable.
Often, people struggle to mesh what they want with what he might require of them. In a moment or season, perhaps they didn’t realize his motivation is compassion and purpose. They didn’t realize the chasm they were creating could actually build a stronger bond with God.
As a result, they might become so defensive they will become offended by very small things that threaten the comfort level they want away from him. A disruptive anger often results.
As you deal with anger, deal with it God’s way. And that’s not a cookie cutter approach. You’ll have to intentionally, consistently trust God to guide and rely on his courage and patience through every encounter.
Pure Purpose 