Genesis 4:6-7, New Living Translation

“Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sinners, crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must’ve do it and be it’s master.”

Anger in one’s life can be dangerous to spiritual health in one’s life. The Lord spoke to Cain directly about this and said, “’Why are you so angry?’ The Lord asked Cain. ‘Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be it’s master.’” (Genesis 4:6-7, NLT)

God warns us again in Ephesians 4:26 (NLT), “And don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the Sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.“

Both of these are warnings. If we allow anger to control us, sin may enter, it opens a door to satan. He wants us to give into anger and sin, because he knows that keeps us from being in right relationship with God. God promises to never leave us, but when we are filled with anger, which causes us to sin, we feel shame. We don’t want to go to Him because we don’t feel worthy. 

The truth is none of us are worthy. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in His grace, freely makes us right in His sight. He did this through Christ Jesus, when He freed us from the penalty of our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood. The sacrifice shows that God was being fair when He held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for He was looking ahead and including them, and what He would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate His righteousness, for he Himself is fair and just, and He makes sinners right in His sight when they believe in Jesus.So, we have two options. We can be like Cain. He let his anger control him. He let his anger drive him to murdering his brother. Do we want to allow our sin nature to rule us, when we know that our sin nature will lead to death? Or we can choose Jesus. We can allow the fruit of the spirit to manifest in our lives. “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. There is no law against these things.” (Galatians 5:23, NLT)

Jesus paid too high of a price for you, and I to let the devil gain a foothold in our lives! If you have said, or done, something wrong, be quick to repent, and seek forgiveness… Forgiveness from your brother or sister in Christ in forgiveness from our Father! “So if you were presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the temple, and you suddenly remembered that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come offer your sacrifice to God.” (Matthew 5:23-24, NLT) “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.“ (Matthew 6:14-15, NLT)

My brothers and sisters, do not be consumed by anger and hate, but be consumed by Jesus’ love! “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8, NLT)