Everyone could use a little anger management these days. It seems people get triggered over anything. That tells you that people are too full of their own opinions and not willing to listen. This leads to people exploding when someone expresses an opinion they disagree with. Today, James gives a lesson on how to control your anger.
JAMES 1:19-20
“This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”
A Needed Reminder
James starts this section of his letter by reminding the believers that they know what he is about to say, but he needs to say it, control your anger. All of us know that it is not beneficial to let our anger get out of control. You can’t completely eradicate anger from your life, but you can make sure that you don’t sin. James gives some very practical tips on how to your anger.
Practical Tips
The first tip James gives is to be quick to hear. If people listen twice as much as they talked, there would be a lot less angry people. Your opinion is important to you, but not everyone shares that perspective. Be someone who is quick to listen. It will save you a lot of frustration down the road if you strive to not only hear but understand. When you do, it will also lead into the second tip, slow to speak. Not everything needs a response. You can control your anger by being slow to speak.
How to Control Your Anger
Anger, when out of control, does not achieve the righteousness of God. That means when you let your anger get out of control, it doesn’t represent Jesus or draw you closer to Him. A person’s temper can be a short slope to self-destruction. Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and you will start to see that you will be slow to anger.