“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:26-27)

 

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:26-27)

Anger is a human emotion, and one that is almost inevitable. Yet there is a vast difference between righteous anger, the type our Lord showed when He chased the money changers out of the temple, and anger which is brought on by selfish interests, motivated by pride, and causes us to lash out without cause. 

Either way, anger is one letter short of “danger” and it must be controlled. If we do become angry, we should deal with the anger quickly and promptly put it away from our lives. We should strive to forgive others in a timely manner – before the sun goes down – and not hold things against them where they tend to fester and grow. If we hold on to anger, we run the risk of becoming bitter and resentful, which gives the devil a foothold in our lives. Thus, we must be “kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32)

Fr. John