problems with} anger is an important topic. Christian counselors report that 55 percent of people who come in for counseling have problems dealing with anger. Anger can shatter communication and tear apart relationships, and it ruins both the joy and health of a lot of. Sadly, people tend to justify their anger instead of accepting responsibility for it. Everyone struggles, to varying degrees, with anger. Thankfully, God's Word has principles regarding how to handle anger in a godly manner, and how to defeat sinful anger.

Anger is not always sin. There is a sort of anger of which the Bible approves, often called "righteous indignation." God is angry (Psalm 7:11; Mark 3:5), and believers are commanded to be angry (Ephesians 4:26). Two Greek words are used in the New Testament for our English word "anger." One means "passion, energy" and the other means "agitated, boiling." Biblically, anger is God-given energy planned to help us solve problems. Examples of biblical anger take account of Paul's confronting Peter because of his wrong case in point in Galatians 2:11-14, David's being upset over hearing Nathan the prophet sharing an injustice (2 Samuel 12), and Jesus' anger greater than how some of the Jews had defiled worship at God's temple in Jerusalem (John 2:13-18). Notice that none of these illustrations of anger involved self-defense, but a defense of others or of a principle.

Anger turns to sin when it is selfishly motivated (James 1:20), when God's goal is distorted (1 Corinthians 10:31), or when anger is acceptable to linger (Ephesians 4:26-27). Instead of using the energy created by anger to attack the problem at hand, it is the person who is attacked. Ephesians 4:15-19 says we are to speak the truth in love and use our words to build up others up, not allow rotten or destructive words to pour from our lips. Unfortunately, this poisonous speech is a frequent characteristic of fallen man (Romans 3:13-14). Anger becomes sin when it is allowed to boil over without restraint, ensuing in a scenario in which hurt is multiplied (Proverbs 29:11), leaving desolation in its wake, frequently with irreparable consequences. Anger also becomes sin when the angry one refuses to be pacified, holds a grudge, or keeps it all inside (Ephesians 4:26-27). This can cause depression and irritability over little things, often things unrelated to the underlying problem.

We can handle anger biblically by recognizing and admitting our selfish anger and/or our wrong handling of anger as sin (Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9). This confession should be both to God and to those who have been hurt by our anger. We should not minimize the sin by excusing it or blame-shifting.

We can control anger biblically by seeing God in the trial. This is mainly important when people have done something to offend us. James 1:2-4, Romans 8:28-29, and Genesis 50:20 all point to the fact that God is sovereign and in complete control over every condition and person that enters our path. Nothing happens to us that He does not cause or allow. And as these verses share, God is a good God (Psalm 145:8, 9, 17) who permits all things in our lives for our good and the good of others. Reflecting on this truth until it moves from our heads to our hearts will rework how we act in response to those who hurt us.

We can handle anger biblically by making room for God's wrath. This is in particular important in cases of injustice, when "evil" men abuse "innocent" people. Genesis 50:19 and Romans 12:19 both tell us to not play God. God is righteous and just, and we can trust Him who knows all and sees all to proceed justly (Genesis 18:25).

We can deal with anger biblically by returning good for evil (Genesis 50:21; Romans 12:21). This is key to converting our anger into love. As our actions flow from our hearts, so also our hearts can be changed by our dealings (Matthew 5:43-48). That is, we can change our feelings toward another by changing how we choose to act with regard to that person.