By Chris WittsSunday 4 Jun 2023Morning Devotions with Chris WittsFaithReading Time: 1 minute
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Transcript:
There are two ways that people usually deal with anger. Some people repress it. For whatever reason, they don’t want people to know that they are angry. Or, they don’t know how to express their feelings in a healthy way. And so they bottle it up for as long as they can. On the outside, they look calm, cool, and collected. But on the inside, they are churning with emotion. And it’s a just a matter of time before the accumulated pressures of life become too much. And all of a sudden, when a person is least expecting it, they explode with an unexpected temper tantrum. And God help you if you are within a two-mile radius.
(60 Seconds of Anger – Part 1)
King Saul was like that. In 1 Samuel 20, he’s eating dinner with his Jonathan. And he calmly asks Jonathan, “Where’s David? He wasn’t here for dinner last night or today?” And when Jonathan said that David went home, all of a sudden, the king exploded with anger and said, “You little brat! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who gave you birth?” And Jonathan must have thought, “Wooah! Where did THAT come from?”
So you have people like Saul who repress their anger for as long as possible. And then, you have people who freely express their anger at every opportunity. These are the kind of people where you have to walk on eggshells when you are around them because they are ready to go to war over the silliest little things….”
I think Cain was like that. He wore his heart on his sleeve. He freely expressed his anger. And let all of his emotions show through.
And in verse 6, God said, “Cain, why are you getting so angry?” I think it’s a fair question.. All God did was point out an area of Cain’s life where he needs to improve.
We ALL have areas like that
Will Rogers once said that “people who fly into a rage seldom make a good landing.” When you get irritated, you need to ask yourself this question: “Is this really a big deal? Is it worth getting all worked up over? Every minute that you’re angry, you lose 60 seconds of happiness. You need to ask yourself, “Is this little thing worth giving up my happiness for? Most of the time, I’ll bet that the answer is no, it’s not worth it!
And on top of that, we need to be able to take loving, constructive criticism without flying off the handle. In this life, you’re going to get criticized. Scrutinized. Analyzed. Your employer will suggest ways for you to do a better job. Your spouse will recommend things you can do to be a better husband. And you need to be able to take it like a man (or a woman) without overreacting.
It’s quite interesting to me to see that Cain did not take criticism very well. And he held to his anger tightly. And in verse seven, God told him, “You better get a handle on this. Sin is crouching at the door, it desires to have you, but you must master it.”
The word “crouch” was used in ancient literature to describe a demon crouching at the door of a city, waiting for an opportunity to come inside. God is saying here that sin is like a demon looking for an opportunity to take over your life. And anger can be an open door for letting it in! And you have to master it before it masters you!
When you get really angry, you can either repress it. Or express it. But the healthiest thing you can do is confess it. Give it to God. Tell him how you feel. Unload your backpack of burdens at the feet of God.
In the Psalms, David wrote when he was really angry. In Psalm 3:7 he says, “Deliver me, o my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw! break the teeth of the wicked!” David found out that by writing about his anger to the Lord, he was able to get it off his chest without hurting anyone.
Maybe this morning you’re thinking, “I just can’t control myself like that. When I get angry, I feel like my emotions are all pent up. And I can’t hold back. I have to let it out.” You’re wrong. You can hold back …You can control what you want to control. Proverbs 29:11 says that “a fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.”
Cain was a fool. Instead of humbly listening to God’s word, he held on to his anger. And he took all of his frustrations out on Abel. He said to him, “Let’s go out to the field.” That proves right there that this was a premeditated murder, not a crime of passion. Cain had plenty of time to reconsider what he was about to do. But instead, he chose to give full vent to his anger, and he murdered Abel in cold blood. And when God asked him where Abel was, he lied right to God’s face! “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
This just goes to show how wicked Cain was. And God usually knows us better than we know ourselves.
But the most amazing part of this story is that God offers Cain a second chance! Instead of giving him the death penalty, he allows him to live and raise a family.
Maybe you’re thinking, “That’s not justice!” You’re right. It’s not justice. It’s grace.
The fact of the matter is that we all deserve the death penalty. We all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God. We all deserve nothing but punishment for all of the years we have turned our backs on God.
But every single day we wake up and get out of bed, we are being given another chance to get things right. Another chance to let Jesus Christ take over the throne of our lives. How have you been doing with the opportunities that God has given you?