Building An Effective Relationship 3 (Can a Christian be Angry?)

DAY 3
Memory Verse: James 1:19-20 NIV
"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."

I remember coming up as a young Christian, there was a meeting that involved some more mature believers I had the privilege to be part of. In that meeting, a question was raised if a Christian or believer can be angry in any way... The answer raised a tense argument among the brethren. Some were of the opinion that, yes a believer can become angry while others said a true believer cannot become angry.

There in that meeting, I realized the body language of those who said it’s a sin for a believer to become angry even showing anger as part of their expression as they felt the other believers should have sided with them...

In the passage above, brother James said emphatically that, we should be slow to become angry. Meaning the believer or child of God can become angry, but not in every matter. Trying to understand and accommodate the flaws of people has a way of helping to overlook issues that should have made one angry. Yes a child of God can become angry over certain issues in his or her relationship with others, but that anger must be controlled with the help of the Holy Spirit.

We will finally look at the way we should control anger in our next devotion. Until then just take it easy on yourself if you got angry at some point in your relationship with others, just make sure you are ready to deal with anger because it has destroyed many fruitful relationships.

Remain blessed.
Image source: apa.org