“‘I have the right to do anything,’ you say—but not everything is beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—but not everything is constructive.” (1 Cor. 10:23 NIV)

Having a Right Doesn’t Always Make It Right

We hear a lot about our rights. Rights are freedoms or entitlements recognized by law, society, or moral principles. And many rights are important and should be protected.

But as Christians, there is another question we must ask: Just because I have the right to do something, is it the right thing to do?

The apostle Paul reminds us that not everything we have the freedom to do is beneficial or constructive. Sometimes love requires us to willingly set aside something we have every right to claim for the good of someone else.

Christian freedom is not simply about what we are free to do. It is also about being free to serve.

Defend the Rights of Others

The Bible tells us to be especially concerned about the rights of those who cannot easily defend themselves—the poor, needy, afflicted, and destitute.

“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (Prov. 31:8-9 ESV)

“Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.” (Psalm 82:3 ESV)

There is an important distinction here. Scripture teaches us not to be consumed with demanding our own rights, while at the same time calling us to stand up for the rights of others.

Jesus Did Not Cling to His Rights

Jesus is our greatest example. Although He is Lord of all, He humbled Himself and became a servant. Instead of demanding what He deserved, He willingly sacrificed Himself for us.

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature a God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Phil. 2:5-8 NIV)

And notice how the passage begins: “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”

That makes it personal

When someone irritates you, when you are overlooked, when you do not get your way, or when you could insist on your rights, ask yourself: What would the attitude of Jesus look like in this situation?

Sometimes following Christ means laying aside what we could rightfully demand in order to love and serve someone else.

Therefore

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
(Phil. 2:9-11 NIV)

Jesus humbled Himself, served others, and gave His life—and God exalted Him.

We are called to follow His example

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
(Gal. 5:13)

So, when considering your rights, don’t ask only, “What am I entitled to?” Ask, “How can I use my freedom to honor Christ and serve someone else?”

Quotes

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” — Jesus (Mark 10:45 ESV)

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” — Jesus (Matt. 16:24 ESV)

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” (James 4:13–16 ESV)

You don’t know what tomorrow will bring

There is nothing wrong with making plans for the future. In fact, wise planning is encouraged throughout Scripture. The problem comes when we make our plans without considering God.

We can make appointments, set goals, save money, plan vacations, build businesses, and prepare for retirement—but none of us knows exactly what tomorrow will bring.

James reminds us how brief and uncertain life is: “You are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

That is why our plans should always be made with humility and dependence upon God: “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

The purpose of the Lord will stand

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” (Prov. 19:21 ESV)

We may have many ideas about how our lives should unfold, but God sees what we cannot see. He knows what is ahead, and His purposes are greater than our plans.

Sometimes God opens doors we never expected. At other times, He closes doors we desperately wanted to walk through. Looking back, we may discover that what seemed like a disappointment was actually God’s protection or redirection.

We should make plans—but hold them with an open hand before God.

Trust God with what you cannot see

Thinking about the future can easily lead to worry. We wonder what will happen with our families, finances, health, work, and countless other things.

But God is already present in the tomorrow you cannot see.

Instead of worrying about everything that might happen, trust the One who knows what will happen. Take care of today’s responsibilities and leave tomorrow in God’s hands.

Therefore

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” (Prov. 16:3 ESV)

Make your plans prayerfully. Commit them to God. Ask Him to open the right doors, close the wrong ones, and change your direction whenever necessary. Then move forward in faith, trusting Him with the outcome.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer. 29:11 ESV)

You don’t need to know everything about your future when you know the One who holds it.

Quote

“The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.” — Abraham Lincoln

“Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” (2 Cor. 10:12 ESV)

Count your own blessings

Comparing yourself with others is a fast way to get trapped by the sin of envy. When you focus on what someone else has—their possessions, abilities, success, appearance, opportunities, or accomplishments—you can quickly lose sight of what God has given you.

Comparison works both ways. Comparing yourself with someone who appears to have more can produce envy and discouragement. Comparing yourself with someone who appears to have less can produce pride. Neither response is helpful.

Instead, count your own blessings. Thank God for what He has given you and faithfully use what He has placed in your hands.

God has a specific plan for you

God created you with your own abilities, experiences, opportunities, and purpose. You do not discover and accomplish His plan for your life by constantly looking at others. You discover it by looking to Him.

Someone else’s calling is not your calling. Someone else’s journey is not your journey. Rather than asking, “Why don’t I have what they have?” ask, “Lord, what do You want me to do with what You have given me?”

Faithfulness is more important than comparison.

Count others more significant than yourself

“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Phil. 2:3 ESV)

Instead of competing with others, Scripture tells us to honor them. Their success does not diminish God’s plan for you. You can rejoice when God blesses someone else without feeling threatened or diminished.

Humility frees you to encourage others rather than compete with them.

Seek God’s approval

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Gal. 1:10 ESV)

Comparison often grows from our desire for human approval. We want to know how we measure up. But the Christian life is not about keeping score with other people.

Your goal is to please God and faithfully serve Christ.

When you seek God’s approval rather than people’s applause, comparison begins to lose its power over you.

Therefore

“Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load.” (Gal. 6:4–5 NIV)

Examine your own life. Thank God for your blessings. Develop the gifts He has given you. Follow the direction He gives you. Encourage others in their successes, and refuse to measure your life by theirs.

“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.” (Rom. 12:3 ESV)

Quotes

“Comparison is the death of joy.” — Mark Twain

“When the Lord makes it clear you’re to follow Him in this new direction, focus fully on Him and refuse to be distracted by comparisons with others.” — Charles Swindoll

Repentance: deep sorrow, compunction, or contrition for a past sin, wrongdoing, or the like.

When Jesus began His public ministry, one of His first messages was simple and direct: “Repent.”

Biblical repentance involves more than simply feeling sorry about something we have done. It means recognizing our sin, agreeing with God about it, and turning from it toward Him. Genuine repentance produces a change of heart that leads to a change of direction.

We don’t repent in order to earn God’s love or forgiveness. Rather, repentance is our response to God as He graciously calls us away from sin and toward Himself.

God wants people to come to repentance

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 ESV)

God is patient. Every additional opportunity to hear His Word, recognize our sin, and turn toward Him is evidence of His mercy.

God’s desire is not that people perish, but that they repent.

God’s kindness leads us to repentance

“Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4 ESV)

Sometimes people think of repentance only in connection with God’s judgment. But this passage reminds us of something wonderful: God’s kindness is intended to lead us to repentance.

When we recognize how patient, merciful, and gracious God has been toward us, our response should not be to take His grace for granted. His goodness should cause us to turn away from sin and draw closer to Him.

True repentance produces change

It is possible to regret something without truly repenting. We can feel terrible about the consequences of our actions while continuing in the same direction.

True repentance goes further

It says, “Lord, what I did was wrong. I agree with You about my sin. Forgive me, help me turn away from it, and help me walk in obedience to You.”

John the Baptist described the evidence of genuine repentance this way:

“Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Matt. 3:8 ESV)

In other words, repentance should eventually become visible in the way we live.

Therefore

“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31 ESV)

“And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38 ESV)

“Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Matt. 3:8 ESV)

 Quote

“We must correctly distinguish regret, remorse, and true repentance. Regret is an activity of the mind; whenever we remember what we’ve done, we ask ourselves, “Why did I do that?” Remorse includes both the heart and the mind, and we feel disgust and pain, but we don’t change our ways. But true repentance includes the mind, the heart, and the will. We change our minds about our sins and agree with what God says about them; we abhor ourselves because of what we have done; and we deliberately turn from our sin and turn to the Lord for His mercy.” - Warren Wiersbe

“So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.” (Rom. 14:12 ESV)

We are accountable to God

The Bible makes it clear that every person will someday give an account of his or her life to God. We may answer to parents, employers, government authorities, church leaders, and others during our lifetime, but our ultimate accountability is to God.

Knowing this should affect how we live every day. Our decisions should not simply be based on what others might think or whether anyone will notice. The important question is: What does God think?

Nothing is hidden from God

“And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Heb. 4:13 ESV)

We may be able to hide things from other people, but nothing is hidden from God. He sees our actions, knows our motives, and understands the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.

This truth should not only produce reverence for God; it should encourage us to live with integrity. Integrity means being the same person when nobody is watching that we are when everyone is watching.

God is always watching.

We will give an account for our words

Jesus even warned us about the words we speak.

“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matt. 12:36–37 ESV)

Words matter to God. What we say can encourage, comfort, strengthen, and build others up—or it can wound, discourage, deceive, and destroy.

Before speaking, it is wise to remember that God hears every word. Ask yourself: Is what I am about to say true? Is it necessary? Is it helpful? Does it honor God?

Live to please God

It is easy to become overly concerned about what other people think. We can spend enormous amounts of energy trying to impress others, gain their approval, or avoid their criticism.

But when we understand that our ultimate accountability is to God, our priorities change. Instead of asking, “Will people approve of me?” we begin asking, “Will this please God?”

Living with accountability to God helps us make better choices even when nobody else knows what we are doing.

Therefore

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (2 Cor. 5:10 NIV)

Live each day remembering that your life belongs to God. Let that truth guide your thoughts, words, decisions, relationships, and actions. You do not need to live for the applause of people or be controlled by their criticism. Live faithfully before the One to whom you will ultimately give an account.

Quote

“Although we have responsibilities to others, we are primarily accountable to God. It is before him that we stand, and to him that one day we must give an account. We should not therefore rate human opinion too highly, becoming depressed when criticized and elated when flattered.” — John Stott

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13–14 ESV)

Some things need to be left behind

There are many things the Bible tells us to remember—God’s goodness, His Word, His promises, and what He has done for us. But there are also things we need to forget.

Paul understood this. His past included things he deeply regretted. Before becoming a follower of Christ, he persecuted Christians and even approved of their imprisonment and death. Yet Paul did not allow his past to keep him from moving forward. He said, “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal.”

We cannot change yesterday, but by God’s grace, yesterday does not have to control today.

Forget the sins of others

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Eph. 4:32 ESV)

When someone hurts you, forgiveness does not mean pretending it never happened. It means refusing to keep holding the offense against that person. If God has forgiven us so completely, we should extend forgiveness to others.

“For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” (Heb. 8:12 ESV)

God does not continually bring our forgiven sins back before us. We should be careful not to continually bring up the forgiven sins of others either.

Forget your old ways of sin

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.” (Isa. 43:18 ESV)

When God saves you, He gives you a new life. Your past may be part of your story, but it no longer has to define who you are.

“As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12 ESV)

If God has removed your sins that far away, why keep dragging them back?

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Cor. 5:17 ESV)

You are not called to spend your life looking backward. God has new things ahead.

“Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’” (Luke 9:62 ESV)

Stop living under yesterday’s condemnation

Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is yourself. You may know that God has forgiven you, yet continue replaying old failures, mistakes, and sins in your mind.

When those thoughts return, remind yourself of what God says rather than what your feelings say. Confess what needs to be confessed, learn what needs to be learned, make things right where possible—and then move forward.

Do not allow something God has forgiven to become a prison you continue living in.

Therefore

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 8:1 ESV)

God does not want you chained to yesterday. Leave behind the sins that have been forgiven, the failures that cannot be changed, and the offenses you have chosen to forgive. Then, like Paul, strain forward to what lies ahead.

“I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” (Isa. 43:25 ESV)

Quotes:

“You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.” — Johnny Cash

“We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.” — Rick Warren

The Bible has a great deal to say about remembering. God knows how easily we can become distracted by today’s problems and forget what He has done for us in the past. That is why Scripture repeatedly tells us to remember.

We should remember God’s faithfulness, His Word, His blessings, and the people He has placed in our lives. Remembering what God has done strengthens our faith for what we are facing today. It also reminds us to pray for others, help those in need, and remain thankful.

Remember Others and Thank God for Them

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,” (Phil. 1:3 ESV)

There are people God has placed in your life who have encouraged, helped, taught, prayed for, or stood beside you. Don’t forget them. Remember them with gratitude and thank God for them.

Remember Prisoners and Those Who Are Ill-Treated

“Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.” (Heb. 13:3)

It is easy to become so occupied with our own lives that we forget those who are suffering. God tells us to remember them, pray for them, and care about what they are going through.

Remember Your Creator in the Days of Your Youth

“Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them…’” (Eccles. 12:1 ESV)

Don’t wait until later in life to seek God. Remember Him now. Walk with Him through every season of your life.

Remember the Words of the Lord Jesus

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35 ESV)

It isn’t enough simply to know what Jesus said. We must remember His words and put them into practice.

Remember Your Christian Leaders

“Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” (Heb. 13:7)

Think about the faithful people God has used to teach and encourage you. Remember their example and imitate their faith.

Remember the Poor

“They only asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do.” (Gal. 2:10)

God does not want us to become so focused on ourselves that we overlook people in need. Remembering should lead to action whenever God gives us an opportunity to help.

Remember Jesus Through Communion

“And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” (Luke 22:19 ESV)

“In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’” (1 Cor. 11:25 ESV)

Of everything we are called to remember, nothing is more important than Jesus Christ and what He has done for us. Communion reminds us of His body given for us and His blood shed for us. We remember His sacrifice, His forgiveness, His grace, and the salvation we have received through Him.

Therefore

“And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you…” (Deut. 8:2 ESV)

Take some time to look back over your life. Remember the times God protected you, provided for you, answered your prayers, carried you through difficulties, opened doors, closed others, and faithfully directed your steps.

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.” (Psalm 77:11 ESV)

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.” (Psalm 143:5 ESV)

Remembering God’s faithfulness in the past will help you trust Him with your present and your future.

And when you need help remembering what God has taught you, you are not alone. The Holy Spirit is there to help.

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” (John 14:26 ESV)

Remember what God has done. Remember what He has said. Remember the people He has placed in your life. And above all, remember Jesus.

Quotes

“Put your mind on the gospel. And remember—there’s one God for all.” — Mahalia Jackson

“Receiving, reading, researching, remembering, and reflecting on the Word of God are all useless if we fail to put what we learn into practice.” — Rick Warren

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)

The Problem: Sin Entered Through Adam

The Bible teaches that sin did not begin with us individually—it entered the human race through Adam.

“When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.” (Rom. 5:12)

Because of Adam’s disobedience in the garden (Gen. 3:3), all humanity inherited a fallen nature. This means every person is born with a sin nature that cannot be fixed by human effort.

No matter how hard we try, we all fall short of God’s perfect standard.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23a)

Sin brings a serious consequence:

“For the wages of sin is death…” (Rom. 6:23a)

The Solution: God’s Free Gift in Christ

But God did not leave humanity without hope. He provided a gift we could never earn.

“…but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23b)

Jesus came to deal with what we could not fix. He came to take our place and pay our debt.

Jesus Died Voluntarily for You

Jesus’ death was not an accident or a tragedy beyond His control. It was a willing, purposeful sacrifice.

“The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” (John 10:17-18 NLT)

Jesus willingly gave Himself for us, fully obedient to the Father’s plan.

“How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” (Heb. 9:14 ESV)

There is no other way to be saved.

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
(Acts 4:12 ESV)

God’s Love Displayed at the Cross

The cross is the clearest picture of God’s love for humanity.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 ESV)

God did not wait for us to become worthy. He acted while we were still sinners.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8 ESV)

Salvation is not something we earn—it is something we receive.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
(Eph. 2:8-9 ESV)

The Result: A New Life in Christ

When we believe in Jesus, our identity changes. We are no longer defined by sin, but by Christ’s finished work.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
(Gal. 2:20 ESV)

Jesus took our sin so that we could receive His righteousness.

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
(2 Cor. 5:21 ESV)

Therefore

The cross calls for a response. Not just admiration—but surrender.

Jesus did not die only to forgive you, but to transform you.

Quote

“The purpose of the Bible is simply to proclaim God’s plan to save His children. It asserts that man is lost and needs to be saved. And it communicates the message that Jesus is the God in the flesh sent to save His children.” — Max Lucado

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.”
(Eph. 4:31 ESV)

In Your Anger, Do Not Sin

Everyone becomes angry now and then, and anger itself is not always sinful. Jesus demonstrated righteous anger when He confronted what was happening in the temple. The important issue is what we do with our anger.

Anger should never be allowed to take control or remain in our hearts until it grows into something worse. Unresolved anger can develop into resentment and bitterness and eventually affect our words, relationships, and behavior.

The Bible gives us this important instruction:

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.”
(Eph. 4:26 ESV)

The passage at the top warns us about six things that must be put away: bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice. Understanding what these words mean helps us recognize why they can become so destructive.

Bitterness: Deep resentment that remains in the heart, often resulting from hurt, disappointment, or an unwillingness to forgive.

Wrath: Strong, fierce, or vengeful anger.

Anger: A strong feeling of displeasure, often arising from something we believe is wrong or unjust.

Clamor: Loud, forceful, or hostile expressions of anger, protest, or discontent.

Slander: False and malicious statements that damage another person’s reputation.

Malice: The desire to harm someone or see that person suffer; extreme ill will or spite.

Watch Out! Bitterness Can Make You Captive to Sin

“For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” (Acts 8:23 NIV)

Bitterness can begin with a genuine hurt. Someone may have treated you unfairly, betrayed your trust, spoken against you, or caused you great pain. But even when the hurt is real, allowing bitterness to remain gives that hurt continuing power over your life.

God wants you free from it.

Don’t Allow a Root of Bitterness to Spring Up

“Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.”
(Heb. 12:14-15 ESV)

A root usually begins beneath the surface where nobody can see it. Bitterness can work the same way. It may remain hidden in the heart for a long time before eventually showing itself through angry words, resentment, criticism, hostility, or unforgiveness.

That is why God tells us to deal with bitterness before it takes root.

Don’t Jump to Anger

“Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.” (Eccles. 7:9 ESV)

When something makes you angry, resist the temptation to react immediately. Words spoken in anger can cause wounds that are difficult to repair. Give yourself time to pray, think, and allow God to guide your response.

Be Quick to Listen and Slow to Anger

“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 ESV)

Notice the order: quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.

When anger begins to rise, ask God to help you listen before speaking and pray before reacting. You may have every reason to be upset, but uncontrolled anger will not accomplish God’s righteous purposes.

You do not have to allow anger to turn into bitterness, wrath, clamor, slander, or malice. With God’s help, you can forgive, release the offense, and choose a different response.

Therefore

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”
(Eph. 4:32 ESV)

When anger or bitterness begins to take hold, bring it immediately to God. Ask Him to help you forgive the person who hurt you and remove resentment from your heart. Choose kindness instead of retaliation, tenderness instead of hardness, and forgiveness instead of bitterness.

Don’t give anger time to grow roots.

Quotes

“Do not say, ‘I cannot help having a bad temper.’ Friend, you must help it. Pray to God to help you overcome it at once, for either you must kill it, or it will kill you. You cannot carry a bad temper into heaven.” — Charles Spurgeon

“To be angry about trifles is mean and childish; to rage and be furious is brutish; and to maintain perpetual wrath is akin to the practice and temper of devils; but to prevent and suppress rising resentment is wise and glorious, is manly and divine.” — Isaac Watts