“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)
A friend of mine came up with an interesting principle which I have tested for many years and have found to be true. It goes like this: “If the bible forbids it then it must be bad for me.” Having studied the bibles for a significant number of years, I can add with confidence what I consider as the flip side to my friend’s principle. I am quoting myself here: “If the bible forbids it then it must be a human weakness.” By human weakness I mean common character flaw (“a problem”).
Note that the verses we have just read do not forbid anger, but rather sinning in anger. It means that although there is nothing wrong with anger in itself, it is important to know that anger can/does cause us to sin. I believe that anger is one of the most dangerous friend to have on that account.
Most of us list anger as one of our undeniable rights and place it at the same level as freedom of speech! We get angry with God, our neighbour(s), ourselves, the world, sometimes even the weather…. I know of a man who turned his back on God because of anger, a woman who left her husband in anger, a daughter who left home only to end up with wrong company because she was angry with her parents, and an employee who threw away a good job in anger. Needless to say, in each one of these cases anger did more harm (hurt) than good.
Most of us tend to let the sun go down while we are still angry, hence the bible cautions against it. The fact that the bible asks us not to do it implies that it is bad for us. I know for a fact that it is almost impossible to have good sleep while I am in anger, let alone focus on reading the word of God, praise, worship or pray.
It is significant that we are also instructed not to give the devil a foothold. It means, that is exactly what we tend to do, even though we may not know it…. A foothold is a secure position or a position from which the devil is guaranteed to cause maximum damages. I understand that every time I sin in anger and let the sun go down whilst I am still angry, I provide the devil with a secure position in my life. Believe me, you do not want to provide the devil a foothold in your life: The bible reveals the devil (John 10:10) as the thief who comes only to steal and kill and destroy, but that is not to be your portion child of God.
Lord grant me daily the grace to not sin in my anger.
