Proverbs 14:29, New King James Version

"He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts folly." 

We have all experienced anger at some point in our lives, and it can be a real problem. Though it starts as a harmless feeling, it can quickly grow into something dangerous that’s hard to control. But with God’s help, we can learn how to deal with our feelings and walk in His peace.

I will admit, years ago I pretty much did and said anything I felt like. I have a pretty strong personality, so if you said something to upset me, there was a good chance I would let you know about it. Thank God, over time He changed me through His Word and helped me begin to manage my emotions through the power of His Holy Spirit. I learned how to operate in self-control, which means I didn’t always say everything I wanted to say. Now, that’s freedom!

Is it a sin to be angry? God created emotions and feelings, including anger. He knows we are going to get angry, but it's what we do in and with our anger that makes the difference. Anger is not a sin—it is what you do with it that becomes sin. We have to practice self-control when we are angry. We can't let it get the best of us. Anger that is not dealt with can turn into bitterness, which is a cancer for the soul. We are all going to be angry at times, but it’s not feeling anger that’s a problem. The problem comes when we act on those feelings. We need to be in touch with our feelings and take responsibility for them, but we can’t allow them to control us.

Proverbs 16:32 says, “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”

A person who rules their spirit demonstrates self-control. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit that’s given to us to help us control ourselves. This means when we feel a certain way, we can choose not to act on it if we know it’s against the Word of God.

How can we stay calm, cool, and collected? How can we demonstrate self-control? In 2 Corinthians 10:5, we are instructed to take every thought captive into the obedience of Christ before it becomes a stronghold in our mind. In other words, we can choose what we are going to think and dwell on. We can continue to fuel our angry emotions with wrong thoughts. We can take a stand and, with God’s help, refuse to allow the situation to get out of control. So, when you feel yourself getting upset, the sooner you say “No!” to those thoughts and feelings, the better. So, the next time you feel anger welling up inside of you pray something like this: “God, please help me. I know being upset is not going to get me anywhere. With Your grace and strength, I am going to control myself, and I’m going to trust You to take care of the situation. Amen.”

Forgive those who have hurt you. Let go of any angry feelings you are holding on to and place those situations in God’s hands. We can trust Him to be our Vindicator. God is bigger than our feelings. He has given us self-control so we can walk in peace and experience His perfect love when we need it the most!