Walk Of Life – Day 16, July 2021 – Thoughts From The Book Of Proverbs – Be Diligent
BE DILIGENT TO BE SLOW TO ANGER
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city – Proverbs 16 : 32
Anger is one of the most problematic of human emotions. It gets human beings into all sorts of trouble. People rarely choose to become angry, instead, it happens whether they want it to or not. The Bible warns that holding on to anger can lead to sin, which is just one of the many reasons why letting go of anger can be something to work towards. Additionally, letting go of anger clears your mind for more positive things in your life such as joy and gratitude. Whether you have a short temper or you’re upset about something that’s been building for a while, these Bible verses about anger will give you perspective and help you work through your anger. And if you’d like to take your reading further, check out some Bible verses on hope and Bible verses about inspiration, too.
1. “Don’t give in to worry or anger; it only leads to trouble.” — Psalm 37:8
2. “People with quick tempers cause a lot of quarreling and trouble.” — Proverbs 29:22
3. “Keep your temper under control; it is foolish to harbor a grudge.” — Ecclesiastes 7:9
4. “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” — Proverbs 15:1
5. “If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day.” — Ephesians 4:26
6. “People with a hot temper do foolish things; wiser people remain calm.” — Proverbs 14:17
7. “But I promise you that if you are angry with someone, you will have to stand trial. – Matthew 5:22
8. “Get rid of all bitterness, passion, and anger. No more shouting or insults, no more hateful feelings of any sort.” — Ephesians 4:31
9. “But keep away from foolish and ignorant arguments; you know that they end up in quarrels. As the Lord’s servant, you must not quarrel. You must be kind toward all, a good and patient teacher, who is gentle as you correct your opponents, for it may be that God will give them the opportunity to repent and come to know the truth.” — 2 Timothy 2:23-25
10. “Those who control their anger have great understanding; those with a hasty temper will make mistakes.” — Proverbs 14:29
11. “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” — James 1:19-20
12. “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered.” — Proverbs 22:24
Here are five steps the Bible says we can take to help us take control of our anger.
1. Acknowledge Your Anger – the first step to overcoming the destructive power of unrestrained anger in our lives is to acknowledge that it’s real and needs to be dealt with.
2. Set Your Will to Forgive –
Ultimately, there is only one way to escape the deathly grip of anger when we have been deeply hurt, offended, or frustrated. Sooner or later, we have to forgive the person we think was at fault.
Colossians 3:13 “bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do”.
3. Pray the Prayer of Forgiveness
Once we make the decision to forgive, we need to take action to put that commitment into effect. Perhaps the most effective way to do that is to verbalize our forgiveness to the Lord.
Acts 7:59-60 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
4. Ask God to Help You Deal With Your Angry Feelings
Realistically, it often takes time to really feel forgiveness, especially when the wound I’ve suffered is a deep one. But God is gracious.
Proverbs 16:32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
5. Refuse to Keep Thinking About the Offence – 2 Corinthians 10:5 “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”
“Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” That’s what God calls on us to do when our thoughts seem to be out of control.
Hence be diligent to be slow to anger
