Slow to anger
In this world, fast and speed are highly appraised. This is how our soul was trained. But, there are times, we wish we can slow down. Speed up or slow down requires spiritual strength and disciplines.
ENGLISH - SALVATION OF SOULS
YTM
2/8/20263 min read
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. (Proverbs 16:32)
We all know anger is very harmful. People who struggle with anger issue may damage their relationships around them. Anger also damage people’s health, as it can cause heart diseases, such as stroke, digestion system problems, brain problems, as well as IBS and insomnia. Worst of all, anger can cause a child of God to loose their God’s given destiny. Think about the life story of Moses and King Saul. Moses could not physically enter into the promise land before his death. Saul lost his kingship partially because of his anger and jealousy against David. Lord Jesus warned us in Matthew chapter 5 to deal with the anger issue in our heart because the continued anger without forgiveness may result in murder, which is in danger of fire of hell.
Early this year, I was reminded by the Holy Spirit to pay attention to Proverbs 16:32. I meditate this verse for several days, I thought, OK God, I got it. Before you know it, about two weeks later, I ended up fall into an anger event with my wife. In a millisecond, I felt angry, before I can remember this Bible teaching, I am already start to say a lot of words which I regret greatly.
Afterwards, I though, if I could stretch that millisecond into million seconds, and put a pause button between “I feel angry” to “my expression of anger through harsh words”, then I may end up in a better situation. You see, first of all, to put a pause button in that half-millisecond requires great deal of spiritual strength. That’s why “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty”. Secondly, “who rules his spirit than he who takes a city”, under the context of “the way of thinking", to stretch that millisecond longer enough to put a pause button”, this “city” reminded me the metaphor of “a stronghold” in our mind. This stronghold is “respond to anger very quickly before we even realize it”. Both spiritual strength and pulling down stronghold needs a lot of practices!
Once, I heard a Jewish rabbi taught about anger. He divided anger into three phases. Phase 1, the emotion of anger arises when we believe that our boundaries or rights are violated. This is human’s nature, everyone gets it, even our God will become angry when His righteous boundary is violated. Phase 2, The response of anger, such as rage (uncontrolled actions) or respond anger with proper ways. Phase 3, the time of hanging on to the anger. People can develop bitterness, resentment, and even hatred, if we hang on it too long. This wise rabbi says, resentment is to allow someone who offended you to live in your mind without paying you the rent.
Understanding anger phases will help us to “slow to anger”. How? When the anger emotion rises in our heart, we understand this is just the first phase. We start to think what boundaries or rights had been violated, and are these boundaries or rights we believe we have are true with God’s words. If we failed the first one, we still have a second chance to deal with it by putting a pause button before the bad expressions come. If we failed this again, we also have a third chance to decide how long we will hold onto it. We messed up, but we can choose to repent, forgave and not hold on it. Because when we meditate on anger for long time, we will open doors to the spirit of anger to build a nest in our soul.
“Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. (Ephesians 4:26-27)
Remember, God is good enough and patient enough, He gives us three chances to "slow to anger". Praise the Lord!
The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression. (Proverbs 19:11)