Pastor Jason Anderson - Don't Stay Angry....

Anger is a normal part of our life, both culturally, and individually.  Anger untamed can bite us.  We can end up bitter, or spiteful, or vindictive and full of revenge if we leave anger unattended.  So how long should we stay angry?  Say you’re in a battle with your spouse, and then they apologize; well it’s hard just to turn off the hurt feelings, and the words.  So how long can I stay angry? Or what if someone never apologizes?  Or maybe I just hit my thumb with a hammer.  What is the statute of limitations on anger, at least, according to God?

The answers are of course, in the Bible.  Like in Matthew chapter 5 when Jesus tells us not to be angry with our brothers.  The key word here is the word "be".  Don't "be" angry.  You see, it's an on going anger. You may get angry sometimes, but do you stay angry?  Jesus got angry sometimes.  Like when they turned the temple into a swap meet, yeah he was angry.  And he gave it to Peter once calling him Satan.  Sure, Jesus got angry.  But he didn't stay angry.  He wasn't still mad a Peter a few weeks later, telling Thomas, "Remember what Peter did a couple of weeks ago? Ugh! He just makes me so mad."  Jesus addressed the situations in a healthy manner, and then He let it go.

So don't stay angry.  Anger itself is not a sin, it's an emotion.  But what you do with it, well that part can mess you up.  So here Jesus says don't stay angry.  Don't let the sun go down on your anger.  Imagine how different life would be if everyone let go of their anger.  Violence would cease, married couples would always wake up in love, and wars would disappear.  Sure we get mad, and we might express that, but do we stay mad. And if you aren't mad, well then there is just more room for you to be happy.  Nice.

The Living Word Bible Church - Jason Anderson