Everyone struggles with anger.
It’s a natural emotion that happens for everyone, whether it’s a small annoyance or a huge outburst of rage. This intense emotion can sometimes be expressed through harsh words or actions. However, acting on these feelings can often leave us feeling guilty afterward.
Fortunately, the Bible has numerous details and advice about how we should handle anger and aggressive emotions.
In this article, we’ll talk about 17 Bible verses pertaining to anger and how to deal with it.
Christ's humanity stands out as one of his most fascinating characteristics. Throughout his earthly ministry, Jesus wasn’t always an even-tempered man. There were a few times when he got angry.
What distinguishes Jesus's anger from ours is that it was motivated by the right reasons. It angered him when God was dishonored and when people took advantage of others through the Church.
The Bible describes many individuals who show such righteous anger. Righteous anger is a result of witnessing an offense against God or His Word. Righteous anger is concerned with others on God’s behalf. Instead of attacking the sinner, it attacks the sin itself.
Anger is a powerful emotion, but it can have adverse consequences. That’s why it’s important to examine our anger and where it stems from.
Can our anger result in actions that contribute to bringing God's Gospel and the Holy Spirit to people in a loving manner? Will we isolate someone because of our anger, causing them to stray away from faith as a result? We should be patient with anger and filter every emotion through the way God wants us to handle them.
Proverbs 29:7 says, The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.
Whenever our self-reliant anger is directed against something we perceive as wrong, we fail to recognize that mere human anger cannot change hearts and minds. This means that anger alone doesn’t produce the righteousness of God.
God is the righteous judge, and His steadfast love is the only thing that truly quiets contention.
Scripture has a lot to say about anger.
Revenge is an emotion that's closely related to anger. When someone wrongs us, we feel angry about the situation, which can sometimes lead us to want to enact revenge upon them.
The Bible has a great deal to say about revenge. Both the root meaning of the Hebrew and Greek words “vengeance,” “revenge,” and “avenge” translated have a meaning associated with punishment. While God is the only one who reserves the right to punish and avenge, we can understand why these words have a root in punishment.
While we take revenge from impure motives, God's revenge is always intended to punish those who have offended and rejected Him. There’s a temptation to bring about the wrath of God ourselves and punish those who deserve it. But since human beings are flawed, we cannot take revenge with pure motivations.
This is why the Mosaic Law contains the command, “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD” (Leviticus. 19:18).
As Christians, we're instructed to follow the Lord Jesus’s command to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
God exalts a wise man who rejects a quick temper and knows that a soft answer turns more heads than a shout.
Anger can rip apart relationships and destroy communication, ruining joy as well as personal health for many. Unfortunately, it’s common for people to justify their anger instead of taking accountability for it. Thanks to God's Word, both the Old Testament and the New Testament contain principles regarding handling anger and coping with it in a Godly manner.
One of the hardest things for people to do is let go of their anger. While anger can be justified in many situations, holding on to anger only hurts you in the long run.
There’s an adage that likens constant anger to holding onto hot coals. Your anger may burn hot and bright, but in the end, you’re the one who’s getting burned.
Here are some Bible verses to help you with releasing anger:
Sometimes our anger can get completely out of control. If we’re not careful, that anger can quickly turn into unbridled rage. That’s why it’s important to maintain a sense of self-control over our emotional responses. The importance of self-control is something we need to teach our children, especially early on.
Here are some Bible verses about self-control:
The anger of man can be a dangerous thing. Above all, God is the only one who can truly enact revenge upon a person. He is the ultimate judge and has the final say. That’s why we should try to stray away from taking revenge ourselves.
Here’s what the Bible says about revenge:
Retribution has a very clearly defined role in the Bible.
God tells us in Romans 12:19 not to take revenge and to leave it to Him. By seeking revenge, we are taking God's place as the ultimate judge. God wants us to have a great understanding of ourselves and our emotions.
Whenever we become enraged or focused on the wrongs of others, we become filled with anger and hate. The love and forgiveness of God can be seen in the way we love and forgive.
A day of redemption can come for everyone in the Kingdom of God. Push away wrath and leave revenge in the hands of the Lord.
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