Grace and peace, Church!
Part of our human journey is learning how to handle the emotions that come with life. Recently, I faced a moment of anger deeper than I’ve felt in a long time. The kind that almost led me to do something I would have deeply regretted.
If you know me, you know how protective I am of my family. Whenever I sense they are being threatened or harmed in any way, something in me rises up. It’s a natural response, but also a dangerous one if left unchecked.
You see, anger itself isn’t always wrong. There are moments when anger is the right response to injustice. When those in authority abuse their power, or when we see evil seemingly go unpunished, our hearts naturally long for justice. Scripture even acknowledges this kind of righteous indignation. Often, we have read Jesus was angry with the Scribes and Pharisees (Mark 3:5; Matthew 23:13-36). However, Jesus never let His emotions dictate His actions.
Ephesians 4:26–27 tells us, “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.”
There are things we should be angry about, but we must be careful. When anger isn’t surrendered to the Holy Spirit, it quickly becomes a tool the enemy uses to lead us into sin and regret.
In that moment of anger, I wanted to take matters into my own hands. But the Holy Spirit reminded me of James 1:20: “For man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness of God.” Those words echoed in my heart over and over, and I knew I had to humble myself and trust God’s providence instead of my emotions.
Church, there will be times when you are wronged or offended. It’s okay to feel anger. It’s a part of being human. But don’t hold onto it. Don’t let it linger or fester. Bring it to the Lord quickly. Release it into His hands. Because when we do, we make room for His righteousness to work in us, rather than our own.
In His love,
Pastor Lu