Getting Started:
There are so many angry people in the world today. Are you one of them? Some people are angry at God for the way they were made. Others are angry about the way their lives have turned out. Some people are angry because their expectations have not been met. Others were raised to be angry. Some people use anger to manipulate others. Then there are those who just seem angry about everything, never content and always complaining.

The Bible does not condemn all anger. In fact, Jesus was angry regarding sin. He angrily ran the money changers out of the temple in Matthew 21:12-13, but what is the difference between godly anger and simply lashing out? Godly anger is first directed toward sin in our own lives leading to holiness. Sadly, the anger we usually see in this world is not godly anger. The anger most of us live in or experience from others is fleshly, self-centered and ungodly. In other words, it is an anger that does not bring glory to God or build up others.

Lashing out in ungodly anger says more about the condition of our own hearts than the person or situation our anger is directed toward. What does ungodly anger tell us about ourselves?
(1) Ungodly anger reveals the pride in our own hearts. We feel we have the right to be angry and  hateful toward others.
(2) Ungodly anger is not love. God loves people and died for them. If you hate people, you don’t have the heart of God. God loves people.
(3) Ungodly anger asserts your rights over the rights of others. This anger is selfish and self-centered. This is not the way of Jesus.

Digging In:
Look at Ephesians 4:31-32 below. Verse 31 is a good description of a life that has not been transformed by Christ. Verse 32 is a good description of how a transformed life looks.

Ephesians 4:31: “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.”
Ephesians 4:32: “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

• How can we move from living verse 31 to living verse 32?
• What role does God play in moving us from v. 31 to v. 32?
• How does an angry life that has been transformed look?

Bring It Home:
Godly anger is first directed toward the sin in our own lives. This type of anger results in transformation. It produces a life that reflects Jesus to a greater degree than before. Ungodly anger lashes out without regard for others and does not reflect the heart of God. Being transformed into the image of Christ is not always easy. It demands a denial of self. Anger transformed is ultimately a work of the Holy Spirit as we surrender to His will. He transforms us day by day as we humbly deal with our own sins first and intentionally demonstrate the attitude of Christ toward others.

Share this content with your peers!