DO YOU CONTROL YOUR ANGER, OR DOES IT CONTROL YOU?

SCRIPTURE:
But the Lord replied, “Have you any right to be angry?”  
(Jonah 4:4)

MEDITATION:
There are times when something arouses our anger.
Everyone has some level of temper in varying degrees.
Some strive to control their anger, but others make no attempt at doing so.
The scriptures tell us that failing to bring our temper under control 
can open the door for Satan to do his work in us.
“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)

We are also told to release our anger before retiring for the night.
Why should we get over our anger before going to bed?
Because it is good for our health.
If we go to bed holding on to our anger, 
then we are unlikely to fall asleep in a timely manner.
Not only that, but if we wake up during the night, 
our anger is still there, ready to rob us of more sleep.

Think about the times you have been angry with someone else.
You toss and turn all night and plan what you will say to them the next day.
You try to predict how they will respond, and plan what you will say next.
The problem is, you have lost sleep and they enjoyed a good night’s rest.
In addition, you seldom get to say all the things you planned during the night.

Have you ever been angry with God 
about something that happened in your life?
How did you feel afterward?
Were you overwhelmed with guilt 
and did you start to withdraw from Him as a result?

Feeling guilty about being angry with God is a good thing, 
but withdrawing from Him due to feelings of guilt, is not.
God understands how our emotions can cause us 
to lash out at others, and even at Him.
He asked Jonah a simple question, “Have you any right to be angry?”

Don’t allow Satan to convince you that
you are no longer worthy of a relationship with the Lord.
Instead, run to Him and ask forgiveness for losing your temper.
Then ask Him to help you understand what you need to learn 
from your unpleasant experiences.

ACTION:
Do you have a short temper?
Is your anger part of your reputation with others?
How are you working at controlling your temper?
What do you do to squelch your anger whenever it begins to boil?
Or, do you just give it free reign to transform you into an angry person?

Jonah was angry 
because God was working in the lives of the people he disliked.
Instead of focusing on the good that God was doing, 
he chose to focus on how God's work affected him personally.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, forgive me for not heeding Your Word and suppressing 
my anger. Show me how my anger is not only bad for me, but also hurts 
other people. Forgive me for the times I have allowed my anger to be 
directed toward You. Help me to realize that You want what is best for me, 
and sometimes that includes exposing me to some unpleasant circumstances. 
When I think about how Jesus suffered on the cross because He knew it was 
part of Your plan, I realize that I should accept Your plans for me without 
complaining or becoming angry with You. I am truly sorry for the times my 
anger toward You has occurred and from this day forward, I will make a 
conscious effort to control my temper. Thank You for showing me how to 
love; help me to replace my anger with love.”