“A fool always loses his temper, But a wise man holds it back.” (Prov. 29:11 NIV)
Galatians chapter five tells us that one of the nine fruits of the spirit is self-control. I am doing a short series discussing things that God has given us the ability to control. Here is another one.
You can have self-control of your temper, i.e. strong emotional reaction of displeasure, often leading to plans for revenge or punishment.
“He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.” (Prov. 16:32)
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” (Eph. 4:31)
Some practical steps for temper control
Stop and think before saying anything harsh! If you must speak, give a soft answer. Proverbs 15: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Count to ten. In your head or out loud, so you can cool down and see where you’re at afterward.
Breathe deeply, from your diaphragm. Breathing from your chest won’t relax you, so picture your breath coming up from your “gut.”
Take a time out if necessary. Excuse yourself and move away from the situation in order to calm down and regain your composure.
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Eph. 4:31-32)
Quotes:
“The greatest remedy for anger is delay.” –Thomas Paine
“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.” – Mark Twain