I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time at being slow to anger. Patience doesn’t come easy to me. And when someone does something that upsets me, I have a difficult time not getting angry.
But what I’ve had to learn over time is that learning to be slow to anger is so important in my walk as a believer.
What kind of testimony would I portray if I got raging mad when someone did something I didn’t like? And what kind of light would I shine when I can’t control my own temper?
Acting upon anger is not showing God’s love. It is showing the exact opposite of a godly character.
Our Lord was a great example of being slow to anger when He walked this earth.
There were many opportunities for Him to get angry and react during His years of ministry (Matt. 21:12-17, Mark 3:5, John 2:13-22.)
In fact, our Savior did get angry at people and their sinful ways. But He was slow to His anger so He did not react upon His emotions and sin.
“Be angry and do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26a).
And we need to learn to do the same!
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (James 1:19-20)
So how can you learn to be slow to anger?
Being slow to anger means ruling your flesh and allowing your spirit to lead.
“Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” (Proverbs 16:32)
As believers, our testimony is the greatest example others have of the Lord and His character. And if we do not control our anger, our testimony for Him will fail.
Learn to be slow to anger so you can be an example of God’s character.
Like I said above, this is something that I struggle with to this day. And I am still learning to be slow to anger every day.
So if you struggle with this too, I want to encourage you to meditate on the verses above and study the example that our Lord gave us. And we can learn to be slow to anger together.
In His amazing love,
Hannah Marie
Do you struggle with being slow to anger?
