Jeremiah Kaaya Pastor at Springs of Power Church, Teacher by professional

Everybody gets angry, but it matters with which intent. However though, the way I perceive the spirit in which this question is asked, it could be by someone who gets angry and he/she pretty knows that it is bad to be angry in such a way. In Ephesians 4:26, scripture says it is allowed to be angry, but it also matters how you are angry and how long you take being so.

Some people get angry longer than others. Some have the strength to manage their anger while others are overwhelmed by it. But it is also pretty important to understand where usually that anger comes from and try to avoid involving in such scenarios, if it is not a must or not a requirement of a Christian. Such helps to avoid situations which get you into such a thing.

All said, the one sure way to overcome anger is to look to Jesus Christ, because the question is asked in terms of being a Christian. As that, let me try to answer the question not in terms of simply urging someone to control their anger, but to learn to live a life that is truly reflective of a Christian. Jesus overcame anger, even when He was faced with extremely irritating and perturbing situations. We all undoubtedly know the cruelty which Jesus faced. He could have acted some other way because he had whatever it would take to do so. When Jesus was faced with a situation and together with His Disciples weren't received as they should have, James and John had asked him to ask for fire to descend upon the offenders. Jesus replied that He hadn't come to destroy men's lives but to save (Luke 9:50-56).

As Christians we must have a mission and we should learn to keep ourselves just to that mission. Whatever gets in our way to get us angry is simply one of the devil's ways to get us away from the mission. Jesus never allowed emotions and feelings to overcome Him, even when He was faced with very trying and tempting situations. There are many cases when Jesus should have cursed, but He went on to bless, when he should have destroyed but He saved.

The mission of a Christian is to be able to go to heaven, and help all the rest he/she can to head in the same direction. If we are to keep on expressing how angry we get, such a mission can't be realized. For many annoying things get in our way when we preach the gospel, we continually get mocked. Personally I have been attacked, ridiculed, insulted etc yet by the grace of God, I have managed to overcome by keeping myself to the mission and never to revenge. Mark you, that is too little compared to what our Lord and Master Jesus Christ suffered. Our only revenge should be to see people get saved and come to realize the unrelenting love of God through His Son Jesus the Christ (Philippians 2:4).

In human terms therefore, it is understandable to get angry. Many of the situations in which we get angry can be justifiable, but we should also keep in position to understand that we are not of our own, for when we accepted and allowed Christ into our lives, we are God's and all we do is to serve Him and Him alone. We serve Him by obeying Him and we obey Him by doing His will. God's will is to save.

But there are also situations when we are insulted but not in the line of duty of God, rather when we are not in service of the Lord. My advice is that even when faced with such situations, we should learn to manage it as much as we can, by the grace of God. If we keep relentlessly looking to Jesus, we can overcome so much, just as Jesus did overcome all (Philippians 2:5-10). A great reward awaits us if we overcome just as Paul said of it in 2Timothy 4:7-8. 

Apart from Jesus, who is our lead example, many other characters written about in the Bible surely overcame such misleading situations. We are faced with so many witnesses just as it is laid out in Hebrews 12:1-2. When Stephen was being stoned to death for doing the work of God, he forgave and blessed while facing death (Acts 7:55-60). He knew these people were only being devil driven. It is the devil at work!

August 21 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report