freedom and anger

I find myself in a quandary around this time each year. On one hand, there’s freedom. I’m free. I’m so grateful for that. On the other hand, freedom has not always been in my ancestral history here in the America. And as such, there is an opportunity for anger to exist. Freedom and anger: a dangerous concoction of emotions. When not appropriately managed, anger is a complex emotion that can easily lead to sin.

In his writing to the church at Ephesus, Paul said this:

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

Paul encourages us not to sin while angry, and to resolve the issue causing anger as soon as possible; preferably before the day ends. Otherwise, bitterness or resentment can enter through the "foothold” provided. But the flip side of this type of anger is righteous anger, which is a response to injustice or sin. It’s this type of anger we see Jesus exhibit when he kicked the merchants out of the temple (John 2:13-16, Matthew 21:12-13). Jesus was angry how His Father’s house was being treated. In the same way, I sense feelings of anger when I’m reminded of my ancestors and their status when our country declared its freedom.

I offer a few practical steps to help you deal with any form of anger before taking action. These principles help me reflect Christ when anger becomes an issue or when freedom and anger collide.

The first is reflection. Before reacting, I should take a moment to consider what’s causing my anger, and whether or not it’s justified (righteous) or not. The next principle is effective communication. If I don’t communicate effectively regarding the issue at hand, whether it’s a friend who’s being a sounding board or the friend who has committed the wound, it leaves room for footholds. Third, I should seek resolution. What’s the best way to deal with this issue? Is there someone I should confront? Is it something I should take to God in prayer? Is there action that the Holy Spirit would lead me to take? This ultimately means there is a need for prayer. I should be praying that God would give guidance and understanding in this area.

Many don’t understand this dilemma. It’s best that they listen to what’s being shared, helping me and those like me avoid the foothold of anger. Let’s keep anger in its place, and reflect on the goodness of God in our homes, our churches, our communities, and our nation.