Tuesday, June 18, 2024
Ephesians 4:26-27 NIV
26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
The story of Absalom, from the weekend message, was difficult to hear, especially if you came from a dysfunctional family. Sadly, it reminds me of an incident with extended family, which thankfully had a happier ending.
My family member’s struggle with alcohol unfortunately brought out an ugly side of him, resulting in instances of violence toward his wife and children. Following their divorce, his wife quickly remarried, expanding her family with stepchildren, but one of her daughters harbored significant anger and didn’t have the best outlet for it.
At 17 years old, she planned to commit a violent act at school, one I deemed unthinkable at the time. Luckily, the school system responded swiftly and nobody was hurt. It was decided she needed some intervention to handle her anger. She spent a year at a faith-based children’s home that specializes in aiding troubled teens. There she received the necessary support and guidance to address her emotions constructively and was successfully reunited with her family.
Anger is a healthy emotion. We need to be angry about injustice. Jesus himself showed anger when people violated the temple.
Matthew 21:12 NIV
Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.
Sadly, Absalom did not have a healthy way to channel that anger. He heard what no brother wants to hear: his sister had been raped. He first responded like anyone should in this situation, trying to protect the victim (2 Samuel 13:20).
His father, King David, was shocked and outraged like anyone would be. Sadly, his inability to effectively channel his anger resulted in inaction, and so Absalom took justice into his own hands. Things may have ended differently if Absalom and King David had healthy ways to channel their anger.
Our takeaway: we have to address the pain to prevent the stain. Sometimes difficult situations if handled properly can make relationships stronger.
Questions:
How do you manage anger? Do you internalize it, making yourself sick; ignore it; or externalize it?
Whom do you admire who seems to channel anger in a healthy way?
Has your method of dealing with anger led to difficulties in your relationships?
Next Steps:
This week, look into Scripture to see how Jesus wants us to channel our anger.
Need some advice on channeling anger? Consider joining one of our summer Groups. Sometimes, just having someone to talk to and receive Godly counsel from can help us manage it.
Prayer:
Dear God, help me to pay attention to how I deal with anger. Open my eyes to see how it is affecting my relationships, and help me to discover ways I can handle it to be more like Jesus. In his name I pray, amen.
Series Theme Verse:
Psalm 37:3-4
3 Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
This post was written by Connie Disbro, a regular contributor to the LivingItOut Devotional.