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“Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.” Psalm 37:8 (ESV)

What makes you angry? Ever entertain that thought? We all have things that aggravate and upset us. Someone does something and our frustration rises. Or perhaps many little things irritate us and we stuff them down until we absolutely erupt blowing steam at anyone in our path. Not a pretty sight.

Scriptures reminds us of the dangerous web unchecked anger weaves. Haman held a high position in the land of Susa. His promotion in rank above other officials positioned him at the right hand of the King. And it didn’t take long for Haman to enjoy the royal treatment. The king commanded the royal staff to bow down before Haman, and they complied except for one. Mordecai, the Jew, refused to bow and it ignited Haman’s rage. Didn’t matter that everyone else bowed. Haman’s high position and prestige didn’t ease his frustration. Instead Haman’s unchecked rage resulted in the devising of an evil plan to annihilate the Jews. All done out of anger and pride.

Haman’s scheme eventually unravels when the true nature of his heart lands him on the gallows he had built to hang Mordecai. Not exactly a storybook ending. Definitely not the chapter Haman thought would unfold right before his eyes. (Esther 7). Yet perfectly and divinely orchestrated by our God who placed just the right people in the right place to handle a difficult situation the right way. Wow that’s a lot of right moving in the correct way.

Lesson for us – rage, anger out of control, never serves us well. Pride easily creeps in when we lift ourselves above others. Anger results when entitlement says others must do what we tell them to do. Respect fades quickly when we demand our own way. Haman had position and authority; he could have been a dynamic leader. Problem was he allowed anger over one man’s decision to derail his future.

God’s word speaks loud and clear – He totally understands anger will surface but He warns us about the effects of mishandled anger. Reacting out of anger or dwelling on anger will land us in not good places. Best solution is to pour out our hearts before our God. Tell Him what we are upset about. Ask Him to supernaturally enable us to be Spirit controlled versus self controlled. Trust Him with the things or people that tend to ignite our frustration. Pause, think and pray for God’s wisdom to guide us versus giving in to our emotional storm. And in those moments when our imperfections blow it and steam is spewing, turn to God and learn how to avoid the pitfalls of anger in the future.

“Father, You have perfectly shown us how to be angry and yet avoid sin. Help us to heed the lessons and to rely on You when life gets messy.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life