Saturday, March 22, 2025

When anger, even righteous anger, has a hold on us, it can really mess up our relationships. Anger can cause us to be over-reactive, quick to be defensive, harsh, and not live the life of peace and joy that God intended.

Ephesians 4:26-27
²⁶And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

In this verse, Paul warns us that unresolved anger gives the devil a foothold when we let it go on for an extended period.

Awareness is the key to stopping bitterness or feelings of injustice from taking root in our hearts.

When you feel anger build, one way to make yourself aware is to follow these steps:

1. Breath
2. Name
3. Pray
4. Move

Taking a deep breath will slow things down. Naming what is wrong causes it to lose some of its power. Then, pray for God’s help with what you’ve named. With your newfound clarity, you can move intentionally away from anger or toward something God asked you to step into.

What is God saying to you, and what will you do about it?

Prayer:
Dear God, As I look around at things in this world and situations in my own life, I recognize that _____________ is making me angry. Today, I am asking for your help and guidance in moving away from this anger. Please help me stop storing these feelings and situations, let there be no possibility for any barrier or foothold to form. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Series Theme Verse:

Hebrews 4:15
This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.

This post was written by Lori Tuckerman, Director of Content for the LivingItOut Devotional.