Be angry, but...

“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. - Ephesians 4.26-27

Anger is real. It is something we all are familiar with. It doesn’t take long for any one of us to remember that terrible feeling of anger that swells up in us. We know how it often starts. Something gets us frustrated or perturbed or perplexed and the more we think about it and dwell on it the worse it gets.

Anger is going to happen. We can't help it. The word in this verse talks about frustration or irritation or being provoked. We can't help that. Things are going to happen to put us in a spot where that can't be helped.

The question we have to ask ourselves is where we go from there. What do we do with the frustration or irritations or even the provocations that come into our lives.

I think about a footballer named Eric Cantona. Years ago he was being taunted from the stands. I am sure he found it frustrating and felt like it was the provocation to do what he did next.

Suddenly he left the pitch, charged into the stands, and attacked the fan who was taunting him.

He was provoked, agitated, irritated, and frustrated - and he responded in fury.

That is exactly what we are not supposed to do - when we are provoked, we don't let the provocation or irritation lead us to sin.

And then we make sure to deal with it. We nip it in the bud. We don't let the sun set on our anger. I like to put it this way - 'never go to bed angry - ever.'

We are going to get angry, frustrated, irritated, aggravated, put out, or whatever. But we need to deal with quickly and not let it become sinful fury.