ANGER-FREE HEART (2)

“The discretion of a man makes him SLOW to ANGER, and his glory is to OVERLOOK a TRANSGRESSION” – Proverbs 19:11

Believers in Christ have the Grace of Forgiveness to demonstrate the ANGER-FREE HEART: “The discretion of a man makes him SLOW to ANGER, and his glory is to OVERLOOK a TRANSGRESSION” (Pro.19:11). Discretion is the ability to know the right action for any occasion. Deferring is putting off, delaying, or postponing something. It takes the Wisdom of Discretion to sustain an Anger-free heart. Offences will always come, but with the discretion of God’s Wisdom, we can enjoy a glorious Walk in Christ, by deferring our anger and ignoring or forgiving transgressions against us. We can turn the other cheek, pass over the provocation, and choose mercy over wrath. But only those obeying the Lord Jesus Christ and taught by the Holy Spirit will ever be able to do so.

Godly discretion, which chooses to delay or avoid getting angry when offended or provoked, is the mark of a wise person, a gracious and gentle spirit. It is a mark of Christian maturity, because only wicked fools quickly strike back. Most people, when offended by others, stiffen with aggression and hostility, choose to be hurt, get indignant, bite back, and plot revenge. They have no discretion; fleeting feelings rule their hearts; they react first, and then think about it later. This is the mark of a proud spirit which is contrary to wisdom and grace: “A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends” (Pro.16:28); “He who is of a PROUD HEART stir up strife, but he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered” (Pro.28:25).

Someone has said that anger is temporary insanity, and to give in to its hot and hasty demands will surely cause us to misjudge an offence and retaliate out of proportion: “A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a man of wicked intensions is hated” (Pro.14:17). Discretion is the wise choice to regain our sanity before judging an offence. We should learn that anger not released will dissipate; it will soon evaporate. By the next day, one can hardly remember offences of the previous day: But this benefit requires two things – we must defer our anger by not releasing it, and we must keep a spirit that rejoices to pass over offences.

We must choose an attitude and spirit that glories in forgiving those who hurt us, by choosing the way of wisdom, peace, and love: “He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friends” (Pro.17:9).  James 3:17 reads: “But the wisdom that is from abroad is first pure, then peaceable, entle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruit, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” The spirit that glories in quick retaliation or retribution is from hell and should be rejected (Jam.3:14-16).

Most people have experienced anger at some point in their lives. It could start as a harmless feeling that quickly grows into something dangerous and hard to control. But with God’s help, we can learn how to deal with our feelings and walk in His peace. It’s important to know that Anger is not a sin – it is what one does with it that becomes sin, as well as the need to deal with anger at the onset.: “He who is slow to anger is letter than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city” (Pro.16:32).