” ‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” (Ephesians 4:26-27)
After breaking down why and how Christians should not fit in so well with the world around us, Paul gets specific. First: Don’t lie. Second: Control yourself when angry and learn to chase it off quickly.
Notice first, he doesn’t say Christians should never get angry. God assumes you will get angry. Everyone does. That’s not a sin. But the normal thing is to use anger as fuel for sin. Paul quotes David in saying, “Don’t be normal.”
Make two choices when you get angry: A) “I won’t use this emotion as an excuse to sin.” B) “I won’t let this emotion stay the night.” Why? Because aging anger gives the enemy something to grab on to in our lives.
Think: How hard is it for you to let go of anger? What could you do to set it aside more quickly?
Pray: Ask God to help you to know when you’re feeling angry and to be able to control yourself to avoid using anger to launch into sin. Then ask Him to make you more efficient at letting go of your anger.
Do: Watch the people in your life this week to see what kinds of sin they’re more likely to jump into when they’re angry.