Get It Right before Bedtime

Part of man’s makeup includes the emotion “anger.”   Because we are made Mad manin the image of our Creator, we may have received this reaction to certain situations from Him.

Reading the Scriptures, one will quickly see some instances where God was angry. There were times when God was angry with Moses (Ex. 4:14), Aaron (Deut. 9:20), Israel (Deut. 9:8, II Kings 17:18), Solomon (I King 11:9), and the wicked on a daily basis (Psalms 7:11).

God’s only son, Jesus, also got angry at times.  He was angered at hardened hearts (Mark 3:5).  Most likely Jesus was angered when He saw people making the Temple, a place of worship, into a place of commerce (John 2:14-15).

However, when God and Jesus got angry there was no sin involved. God is Holy (Lev. 19:2, I Sam. 2:2) and does not sin, nor does His Son (Heb. 4:15).  There are some things that still make God angry, and I am sure still make Jesus angry.

There are some things we encounter in this life that should make a Christian angry.  The killing of 4,000 innocent babies a day by abortion should make a Christian angry.  The world’s brainwashing attempts to get people to accept and tolerate sin should get a believer angry. Punishing righteousness and godly living should make one angry. Christians live in a world where many things are done contrary to what the Bible teaches we should do, and they should get angry over that.  We should love the sinner, but sin should make us angry.

Sometimes people’s reactions to things, that may not necessarily be sin, get them mad. No matter what makes us angry, we need to be careful as anger can lead to sin.  A Christian must always be wary of getting involved in sin.  He must avoid anything that at one point may get him to commit iniquity.

For this reason, God has given us a blow-off valve so the pressures from our anger do not evolve into sin.  God’s warning is that no matter what gets you angry, make sure you get it right before the day is over.  Before the sun goes down and before you put your head on your pillow, make sure you deal with your anger.
“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:” Ephesians 4:26

If you find yourself angry with your wife, family member, a person at work, or anyone, make sure you get it right before the day is over.  That means that someone may have to shed a little pride and talk a day’s provocation out with one’s spouse before bedtime.  A child may need to be apologized to because a parent’s temper was lost during a discipline situation.  Perhaps a phone call needs to be made to get a relationship right with an employee or neighbor. If we want to end the possible consequences of improper handling of anger, it should be dealt with as soon as possible.

Not dealing with anger quickly, often results in hostilities and feelings being bottled up.  When one wakes up the next day, those emotions are strengthened and hardened in one’s mind.  The longer they remain undealt with, the harder they will ever be to reconcile.

Unreconciled feelings often lead to hardened, unpliable hearts.  A hardened heart leads to bitterness.  Before long, one may have developed a bitter spirit toward an individual, or even a group of people, all because anger was never dealt with, and it festered and grew.   Often, the person may not even realize what has happened to him.  All because one let a day go by without humbling one’s self and getting a problem resolved before the sun went down.

Perhaps, many suns have set on your anger.  Resulting bitterness may have robbed you of the joy you once had.  Every time you see a certain person or hear his name, the old unforgiven memories churn up and you find yourself facing the same anger.  It would have been much easier to remedy those feelings on the day it happened, but it is never too late to get your angry feelings right with another.  Yes, it may be the other person who did something terribly wrong.  However, your anger has robbed you of your joy, and that sin may have robbed you of having a closer walk and relationship with the Lord.  Get it right today — before the sun goes down.

When you give a problem or sin to God, don’t drag it back up again.  Give it to God, and leave it with Him!