Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:31-32)
Anger is something we all understand.
Some of you are angry right now. If we’re honest, we’ve all felt it. Sometimes it flashes quickly and disappears. Other times, it builds slowly and settles deep within us.
I’ve experienced both.
There have been moments when my anger was justified. There have also been times when it was completely sinful. I remember getting very angry when someone rearranged my office without asking. It overwhelmed me. I said things I shouldn’t have said.
Over furniture.
In that moment, I was angry. Not righteous anger—just anger that got the better of me.
Here is the truth:
You may have the right to feel angry, but you do not have the right to let anger lead you to sin.
You may have the right to feel angry, but you do not have the right to let it ruin you.
Why Are So Many People Angry?
The Bible introduces us to the first angry man in Genesis 4:5:
And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
Cain’s anger wasn’t hidden—it showed on his face. And more importantly, it didn’t stay contained. His anger led him to destroy his life—and the life of his brother.
That same pattern still exists today.
Many teenagers carry anger, and there are real reasons behind it:
- Hurt often leads to anger. It may not be the first emotion, but it becomes the landing place.
- Social media has negatively affected many young people, shaping how they think and feel.
- Trauma—whether physical, verbal, or emotional—leaves deep wounds.
- Family instability—broken homes, conflict, and tension—creates pressure.
- Uncertainty about the future weighs heavily.
- Some withdraw and decide they are better off alone.
- Others are simply angry over selfish or shallow things.
Some have real reasons to feel angry. But no one has the right to let anger control them.
When Cain was angry, God asked him a simple question:
“Why art thou wroth?”
God asked Jonah a similar question later: “Doest thou well to be angry?”
Before anything else, God brings us to this point:
Why are you angry?
Justified Anger
Anger itself is not always wrong.
In Mark 3:5, we read that Jesus looked on the people “with anger,” being grieved at their hardness of heart.
His anger was:
- Controlled
- Righteous
- Directed at sin—not selfishness
David also felt anger when he heard Goliath defy the living God. There is a kind of anger that rises in response to evil, injustice, and sin—and that is not wrong.
But even here, we must examine ourselves:
Why are you angry?
Sinful Anger
Jesus warns in Matthew 5:22 about anger that comes from the wrong place.
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. (Matthew 5:21-22)
Perhaps someone thinks, “I did not kill anyone, so I did well!” The Lord probes deeper. You may not have physically murdered someone, but, in your heart, did was there anger without cause?
Sinful anger:
- Is quick and uncontrolled
- Becomes a way of life
- Is rooted in selfishness
- Often lacks a truly righteous cause
And not every cause we think is justified actually is.
Sinful anger begins in the heart. It sounds like:
- “It’s not fair”
- “Nobody understands me”
- “Why is this happening to me?”
- “I don’t matter”
It is also maintained. Ephesians 4:26–27 warns us not to let anger linger or take root.
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. (Ephesians 4:26-27)
And it produces real damage:
For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. — James 1:20
Uncontrolled anger leads to:
- Bitterness
- Resentment
- Depression
- Isolation
- Loss of joy
Hurt people often hurt people. Just as Cain hurt Abel, our anger can spill over onto others.
Overcoming Anger
In Luke 15:28, we read about the older brother:
And he was angry, and would not go in…
His anger didn’t make him explode—it made him withdraw.
He separated himself. He stayed outside.
How many people respond the same way? They shut the door. They pull away. They say, “Leave me alone.”
But everything he needed was inside—with his father.
There was joy. There was acceptance. There was fellowship – with the father!
And yet he stayed outside.
But if we continue reading the parable, we read this tender scene:
Therefore came his father out, and intreated him.
The father came to him.
He didn’t ignore him. He didn’t reject him. He went out to where he was and spoke to him.
That is a picture of God.
Even when you are angry…
Even when you are withdrawn…
Even when you are standing outside…
Sit still and listen. Is the Father calling you back to Himself? Does He bid you to be near Him?
A Call to Respond
Listen.
Be still long enough to hear the voice of God.
The Father calls to His children. Don’t ignore Him.
Have you trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior?
He died for you, was buried, and rose again. He loves you eternally.
Maybe you’ve been hurt. Maybe you’ve been wounded. Maybe anger has taken root in your heart.
But Jesus will not forsake you.
Run to Him.
The devil wins when others’ failures control you.
The devil wins when you give place to anger because of what someone else did.
The devil wins when you ignore the voice of your Father.
But God offers something better—peace, calm, and restoration, even in the middle of pain.
