While there is such a thing as “righteous anger,” most of the anger in our lives is of the sinful variety. It isn’t an issue with a lot of grey area. We know anger is wrong and Scripture explicitly tells us not to be.
“Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.” (Ps. 37:8)
“But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment….” (Mt. 5:22)
“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” (Eph. 4:26–27)
Anger leads to evil. An angry person is subject to God’s judgment. Anger gives the Adversary space to work in our lives. Wow! That’s some heavy stuff. Consider that on the heels of sin entering the world in Genesis three, by chapter four Cain was so angry he murdered his brother.
Sadly, you know that anger is not unique to the unbeliever. It is prevalent in many Christians’ lives as well. For some it’s a sinful practice that takes place daily or even hourly. Maybe that’s you. What’s more, it’s likely that you’re most often angry with those closest to you. Despite being instructed in Ephesians 4:31 and Colossians 3:8 to put wrath and anger away from you, you lash out at others.
I learned something interesting about anger from Pastor Nick. He taught me that at all times anger is not the first sin. It doesn’t show up stag to the sin party. There are always other sinful issues at work in the heart that bear themselves out in anger. In Cain’s case God had regard for his brother’s offering but not for his. There are any number of sins that we can presume took place in his heart and that bore the fruit of anger in his actions—discontentment, jealousy and pride to name a few.
I was reminded of this fact when reading the account of Moses inappropriately striking the rock twice instead of once to produce water for the people. It was a misstep for which he paid a heavy price. He was relegated to die in the wilderness just like the generation of people that doubted God by giving a bad report after spying out the promised land. When you recall the episode with Moses at Meribah you probably focus on his anger. The people that God had consistently and graciously provided for were complaining again! They whined for themselves and even for their cattle. He was fed up!
The anger in Moses’ words is apparent just before striking the rock. “’Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?’ And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly” (Nu. 20:10-11). His anger manifested itself in words and actions, but that is not where the sin started. The subsequent penalty reveals the truth.
And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” (Nu. 20:12).
The word rendered “believe” in the ESV can also be translated “trust” (and is in the NIV). What started in Moses’ heart, a lack of trust in the Lord, resulted in sinfully angry words and actions. Moses was sentenced to die in the wilderness for the same sin as the people with whom he was angry. The lack of trust in God that led to a bad report and the lack of trust in God that led to angrily striking the rock earned the same result, namely, no admission into the Promised Land.
As you evaluate the times that you chose to be angry, think through the preceding elements (er, “sin”) that led to your angry words and actions. An honest assessment may reveal that your self-focus was a lack of trust in a God that has consistently and graciously provided for you, even in your “wilderness.” He is a God that knows what you want and ALWAYS provides what is best for you. After repenting for the lack of trust, shift to confident belief in the God that authored Psalm 37:
Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart (Ps. 37:3-4)
Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil (Ps. 37:8)