August 24, 2023
A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression. (Proverbs 19:11)
We’ve all experienced it. Some of us have a harder time with this than others. It is easy to explode. To fly off the handle. To let our anger erupt before we’ve even thought about what is happening when we feel misunderstood or marginalized.
DISCRETION
The writer of Proverbs says that one of the things that slows anger down is discretion. Other translations use the word “sensible.” The Hebrew word can also be translated and defined as “insight, understanding, prudence, i.e., the capacity to understand and, as a result, act.”
Slowness to anger is a thinking, spiritual response. In other words, the man who is wise, who has understanding, who has insight controls himself. He realizes quick temper's fruitless and destructive nature and responds with patient grace and kindness.
TAMING THE EMOTIONS
The fool doesn’t think. He lets his emotions totally control his response. If you want to overcome this, you must grow in understanding of what explosive anger is and does. You must realize how foolish it is. But then, by letting the Holy Spirit fill you and control your life, you must think before responding. You must bring your emotions under the control of the Spirit. If you don’t, your emotional response will rarely match the level of the offense. It can go “off the charts.”
OVERLOOKING A SIN
And there’s more. A godly man or woman is willing to overlook an offense completely. They don’t have to always make sure they’re right or that they are treated fairly. They realize that God has forgiven them, and they are willing to manifest the nature of the Father in overlooking the slights and offenses against them. They wisely realize that everyone doesn’t have to get it right around them and that God will oversee the final judgments. They understand that a quick temper is the response of a fool and accomplishes nothing of value.
He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who is quick-tempered exalts folly. (Prov. 14:29)
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. (Prov. 16:32)
But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. (James 1:20)
Do you want to live your life as a hot-tempered, uncontrolled man? Then, pay no attention to these verses. But you will pay a high price.
To overcome this, you must grow in spiritual discretion and patient forgiveness. Let the Spirit take greater control, and when you feel anger rising (which is usually because you think someone has stepped on your rights, misunderstood you, or falsely accused you), think and pray sincerely before you let any words come out of your mouth. Because the “anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”
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