MEMORISE: Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:9
BIBLE READING: Ephesians 4:26-27
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
MESSAGE:
Anger is a natural emotion, but how you handle it can either glorify God or lead to sin. In James 1:19-20, the Bible instructs Christians to be slow to anger because it doesn’t produce God’s righteousness in us. As God’s child, you must learn how to respond to anger in ways that will not make you sin. For example, today’s Bible reading says, “Be angry, and do not sin.” This simply means that your reaction to anger must be in line with what pleases God. Therefore, you can’t afford to throw tantrums, say bad words, or do irrational things just because you are angry.
As long as you have breath in you and relate with human beings daily, several things will happen that can infuriate you and tempt you to lose your cool. However, you must never forget that one of the ways to honour God is by being peaceful with everyone (Hebrews 12:14). To live peacefully with others, however, you must tame your anger.
My dear child, the next time someone tries to annoy you, don’t react impulsively: instead, count 1-50 in your mind and pray. You will discover that the anxious feeling to respond will disappear. Then, you can address the issue constructively without insulting the person or using any foul language.
KEY POINT:
Rather than react impulsively whenever you feel angry, pause and pray.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Luke 1:1-23, Deuteronomy 31-32