Anger and worry

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm. - Psalm 37v8

It is easy to get angry. It is one of those emotions that just jumps up and bites you before you know what is happening. Anger in and of itself is not a sin. God even mentions that we are going to be angry.

The problem is what we do with that anger. In Ephesians we are told to be angry, but not to sin in that anger. Here we are told to cease from anger and to forsake wrath. The point seems to be that we must control our anger when it appears and deal with it quickly. Wrath we are to forsake completely. Anger is an emotion to be controlled, dealt with, and put aside quickly. Wrath is a sin which should not be a part of our lives.

While we are here there is another issue to deal with. 'Don't fret—it only cause harm.' Here we are back again and an issue with which I struggle. The Lord has done a great work, but fretting and worry are still something that I battle regularly.

The word of God is clear about worry. 'Be care-ful for nothing.' 'Take not thought of the morrow.' 'Cast all your cares on Him.'

Jesus tells us that worry does no good. We can't get taller by fretting about it. The psalmist tells us that fretting only does damage.

With the Bible being so clear why is it so hard for us to deal with anger and worry? I think it all comes back to me. I get angry because I sense an injustice. I worry because I think I have to sort things out.

Maybe I need to look back a couple of verse to 'rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him.'