It is not a sin to be angry, but anger can be sinful, and it can  easily lead to other sins.  Constant anger will thwart our Christianity and eventually, if allowed to continue unchecked, destroy us from the inside out.  Thus, having an issue with anger is something that needs to be overcome.

The first thing we need to do, when it comes to anger, is to make sure there is a real reason for it.  There is such a thing as righteous indignation.  Jesus demonstrated it.

John 2:14-15 (ESV)
¹⁴  In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. ¹⁵  And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.

When His disciples saw His actions, they remembered the scripture that said, “Zeal for your house will consume me” (ver. 17).  The problem with anger is when it comes without a cause.

Matthew 5:21-22 (NKJV)
²¹  “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ ²²  But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment…”

To be angry without cause is to reveal an emotional issue that will stand in our way of being what God wants us to be.  It might be divulging an unloving heart toward a brother, or with whoever it is that we are angry.   If you find yourself being angry with someone, ask yourself why, and be sure that there is a righteous reason for it.

Another thing to watch out for when it comes to anger is how long it is allowed to linger.  Anger can be like an invisible disease that eats away at a person inwardly.  It is a self-inflicted wound that hurts the one who is angry much more than the one who is the object of it.   This is why Paul warned us of this.

Ephesians 4:26-27 (NKJV)
²⁶  “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, ²⁷  nor give place to the devil.

When we permit anger to linger, we are giving the devil a place to abide in our hearts.  He will take advantage of this emotion and use it against us.  We must not give Satan the satisfaction of using us to do his will by allowing ourselves to be consumed with anger.

When Paul says, “do not let the sun go down on your wrath,” he was not saying we should somehow just dismiss it from our minds before we go to bed at night.  He was exhorting us to handle the problem.  Whatever is causing the anger needs to be taken care of sooner rather than later.

Do you have an anger issue?  Determine if it is righteous indignation or misplaced resentment.  If you see that you are angry without a cause, pray about it, and make up your mind that you will not allow anger to control your life.  Remember, if anger is consuming your life, the devil is in control, and you need a new master.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.