Vices & Virtues: Anger

Welcome! Im glad each of you are here! It is officially October! and with that we are in Mental Health Awareness Month. We thought Vices and Virtues would be a great series to walk through. As many of our vices can make our mental health go south quickly.

Read Colossians 3:1-15

-This passage is beautiful because it implies how we should live and it implies there are ways we should not live.

-Paul reminds us that when we became believers, we died to our old selves and now have a new identity in Christ. Our lives are hidden with Christ in God, and we share in His resurrection glory.

-Paul goes on to provide practical guidance on how this transformation should affect our daily lives. He encourages us to put to death the sinful nature and to put on the virtues of Christ.

-we must be Putting Off the Old Self and let the old self die. We must rid ourselves of sinful behaviors like anger, malice, and deceit, greed, lust. These things are contrary to our new identity in Christ.

-we must be intentionally Putting On the New Self: Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

-This series is going to look at the vices that hold us down and hurt us and others. And how through Jesus we have the strength to overcome these vices and live out some of the virtues Paul talks about in Colossians 3.

What are vices:

-a vice is a habitual and morally wrong behavior or pattern of thought that separates us from God's love and guidance.Vices are often characterized by their destructive nature, both in our relationship with God and in our interactions with others.

Vices:

-Common vices include anger, envy, greed, lust, pride, lying, and unforgiveness. These sinful behaviors hinder our spiritual growth and distance us from the divine.

Unchecked vices can have very Destructive Power such as:

Separation from God:

-Vices create a barrier between us and our Heavenly Father. They prevent us from experiencing the fullness of His love and grace.

Strain on Relationships:

-Vices can damage our relationships with others. They lead to conflict, hurt, and broken trust, which disrupt the harmony that God desires for us.

Stagnation in Spiritual Growth:

-Continual indulgence in vice hinders our spiritual growth. It prevents us from becoming the individuals God intends us to be and fulfilling our divine purpose.

Todays vice we are going to be covering is anger this vice is personal for me as I have had to deal with anger in my life off and on and i have seen first hand the destruction it can cause in my life and the lives of others.

The Vice: Anger

-Anger is an emotion we all experience, but when left uncontrolled, it can cause profound harm, not only to ourselves but also to the world around us.

-Handling anger is an important life skill.Anger is usually an indcator there is something deeper within us that something is wrong, or unjust. Christian counselors report that 50 percent of people who come in for counseling have problems dealing with anger. Anger can shatter communication and tear apart relationships, and it ruins both the joy and health of many.

-Sadly, people tend to justify their anger instead of accepting responsibility for it (i have personally and unfortunately have done just this).

-Everyone struggles, to varying degrees, with anger. Thankfully, God’s Word contains principles regarding how to handle anger in a godly manner, and how to overcome sinful anger.

-Anger is not always a bad thing!

-Anger is not always sin. There is a type of anger of which the Bible approves, often called “righteous indignation.”

-God is angry in

Psalm 7:11 “God is a righteous judge and a God who shows his wrath every day.”

Mark 3:5 “After looking around at them with anger, he was grieved at the hardness of their hearts and told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.”

I WANT TO BE CLEAR REAL QUICK BEFORE WE MOVE ON THE DIFFRENCE BETWEEN OUR ANGER AND GOD’S!

Human anger: is often a response to perceived offenses, frustrations, or injustices. It can be motivated by selfishness, pride, and a desire for vengeance. Human anger can lead to destructive behaviors, damaged relationships, and regrettable consequences. It is, by its very nature, imperfect and tainted by our human limitations.

God’s Righteous Anger: His anger is profoundly different from ours: God's Anger is Perfect:Unlike human anger, God's anger is always just, righteous, and without sin.His anger is rooted in His holiness and a desire for justice and righteousness. God's Anger is Patient: God's anger is slow to kindle, as we see in Exodus 34:6-7.He patiently gives us opportunities to repent and turn to Him. God's Anger is Restorative: God's anger is not driven by a desire for revenge but for our redemption.It aims to correct, discipline, and lead us back to His loving embrace.

-It is acceptable for believers to be angry Ephesians 4:26 says “Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger,” Two Greek words in the New Testament are translated as “anger.” One means “passion, energy” and the other means “agitated, boiling.”

-Biblically, anger is God-given emotion intended to help us solve problems. Examples of biblical anger include David’s being upset over hearing Nathan the prophet sharing an injustice (2 Samuel 12) and Jesus’ anger over how some of the Jews had defiled worship at God’s temple in Jerusalem (John 2:13-18). Notice that neither of these examples of anger involved self-defense, but a defense of others or of a principle. - it is important to recognize that anger at an injustice inflicted against oneself is also appropriate. Anger has been said to be a warning flag—it alerts us to those times when others are attempting to or have violated our boundaries. God cares for each individual. Sadly, we do not always stand up for one another, meaning that sometimes we must stand up for ourselves.

-This is especially important when considering the anger that victims often feel. Victims of abuse, violent crime, or the like have been violated in some way. Often while experiencing the trauma, they do not experience anger. Later, in working through the trauma, anger will emerge. For a victim to reach a place of true health and forgiveness, he or she must first accept the trauma for what it was. In order to fully accept that an act was unjust, one must sometimes experience anger.

-Because of the complexities of trauma recovery, this anger is often not short-lived, particularly for victims of abuse. Victims should process through their anger and come to a place of acceptance, even forgiveness. This is often a long journey. As God heals the victim, the victim’s emotions, including anger, will follow. Allowing the process to occur does not mean the person is living in sin.

The problem of unchecked anger:

-When left unchecked Anger can become sinful when it is motivated by pride (James 1:20), when it is unproductive and thus distorts God’s purposes (1 Corinthians 10:31), or when anger is allowed to linger (Ephesians 4:26-27). One obvious sign that anger has turned to sin is when, instead of attacking the problem at hand, we attack the wrongdoer or perceived wrongdoer.

- Ephesians 4:15-19 says we are to speak the truth in love and use our words to build others up, not allow rotten or destructive words to pour from our lips. Unfortunately, this poisonous speech is a common characteristic of fallen man (Romans 3:13-14).

- Anger becomes sin when it is allowed to boil over without restraint, resulting in a scenario in which hurt is multiplied (Proverbs 29:11), leaving devastation in its wake. Often, the consequences of out-of-control anger are irreparable.

- Anger also becomes sin when the angry one refuses to be pacified, holds a grudge, or keeps it all inside (Ephesians 4:26-27). This can cause depression and irritability over little things this is when , it becomes a destructive force. which are often unrelated to the underlying problem.

-It poisons relationships, divides communities, and damages society.

-Anger can and will cloud our judgment and affect decision-making. and we can blindly hurt ourselves and others in moments of rage (uncontrolled anger)

-Angry outbursts can and will erode trust and intimacy (relationships) you might have seen this first hand in your life..

-Anger will lead you to isolation from loved ones, leading to loneliness.

-Anger often prevents us from learning and growing. It keeps us stuck in patterns of negativity and bitterness.

-Anger fuels social divisions and animosity. All you have to do is hop on social media or turn on the news somedays and you can see so many people are angry about so many different things. It leads to disputes, violence, and even wars.

-Unchecked anger can perpetuate discrimination and oppression. It hinders constructive dialogue and cooperation.

-Now that we have talked about the vice of anger lets move into a time of looking at how we combat anger and live out some virtues!

The Virtues Section:

What are virtues?

-Virtues are qualities of moral excellence that reflect God's character. They are cultivated through intentional practice and reliance on the Holy Spirit.

The virtues we should embrace in place of anger:

1. Patience:

-Patience is more than simply waiting; it's a virtue deeply rooted in trust and endurance.

-Patience involves remaining calm in the face of trials, trusting in God's timing, and maintaining a spirit of gentleness and self-control.

-Learning to endure trials without explosive reactions is no easy task but we must work hard at this..

-The Holy Spirit empowers us to develop patience as one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

-We must Pray for the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts, cultivating patience within us.

- Patience fosters calmness in the face of adversity.

Read James 1:19–20 “My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.”

2. Humility: Recognizing our own imperfections and limitations.

-Humility is not self-deprecation or low self-esteem but a recognition of our dependence on God and our place as His beloved creation.

-The Bible describes humility as meekness, lowliness, and absence of self. The Greek word translated “humility” in Colossians 3:12and elsewhere literally means “lowliness of mind,” so we see that humility is a heart attitude, not merely an outward demeanor. One may put on an outward show of humility but still have a heart full of pride and arrogance. Jesus said that those who are “poor in spirit” would have the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3). Being poor in spirit means that only those who admit to an absolute bankruptcy of spiritual worth will inherit eternal life. Therefore, humility is a prerequisite for the Christian.

-Humility allows us to see ourselves accurately, recognizing our own flaws and limitations.

-When we approach others with humility, we are less likely to react in anger.

Read Micah 6:8 “Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.”

3. Self-control: Governing our emotions and responses.

-Self-control is, of course, the ability to control oneself. It involves moderation, constraint, and the ability to say “no” to our desires and fleshly lusts. -We need self-control because the outside world and internal forces still attack (Romans 7:21-25). Like a vulnerable city, we must have defenses. A wall around an ancient city was designed to keep out the enemy. Judges at the gates determined who should be allowed in and who should remain outside. Soldiers and gates enforced those decisions. In our lives, these defenses might include avoiding close relationships with sinners, meeting with other believers, and meditating on the life-giving Word of God. We don’t exhibit self-control if we continually dally with that which would enslave us. -Self-control naturally leads to perseverance (2 Peter 1:6) as we value the long-term good instead of the instant gratification of the world. Self-control is a gift that frees us. It frees us to enjoy the benefits of a healthy body. It frees us to rest in the security of good stewardship. It frees us from a guilty conscience. Self-control restricts the indulgence of our foolish desires, and we find the liberty to love and live as we were meant to.

Read Proverbs 25:28 “A person who does not control his temper is like a city whose wall is broken down.”

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- Virtuous living reflects God's image within us.

How To Lament:

-an often overlooked aspect of our faith—lamenting. We live in a world filled with suffering, pain, and injustice. As followers of Christ, we are called not only to rejoice in the Lord but also to weep with those who weep. Today, we'll explore the importance of writing laments and how it can deepen our relationship with God and our empathy for others.

1. Lament is a passionate expression of grief, sorrow, and suffering and we think it is important to do something like this during Mental Health Awareness Month and during this vices and virtues series.

2. It's a raw and honest conversation with God in times of pain and confusion.

B. Examples of lament in the Bible

1. The Psalms, especially Psalms of Lament (e.g., Psalm 22, Psalm 42)

2. The book of Lamentations

3. Job's cries of anguish

II. The Importance of Writing Laments

A. Lamenting allows us to:

1. Acknowledge our pain and suffering.

2. Bring our authentic selves before God.

3. Find healing and hope in God's presence.

B. Writing laments deepens our faith:

1. It acknowledges the reality of a fallen world.

2. It strengthens our trust in God's sovereignty and love.

3. It draws us closer to the heart of God.

- Here's a general outline to help you structure your own lament:

Introduction: Acknowledge the Pain Start by acknowledging the pain, sorrow, or suffering you or others are experiencing. Clearly state what has happened and the emotions you are feeling. This sets the tone for the lament.

Expression of Grief: Pour Out Your Heart in this section, express your emotions openly and honestly. Describe the depth of your pain, sorrow, and confusion. Share your thoughts and feelings, using vivid language to convey your distress.

Remembering God's Promises: Appeal to God's Character Remind yourself and your readers of God's character, promises, and faithfulness. Reflect on relevant scriptures or aspects of God's nature that provide hope and comfort in difficult times.

Questioning and Doubting: Wrestle with God It's natural to question and doubt during times of sorrow. Express your doubts, struggles, and questions to God. This is a space for honest reflection on the seeming injustice or lack of understanding in the situation.

Confession and Repentance: Examine the Heart Consider any personal or communal sins that might have contributed to the situation. Confess these sins to God and seek forgiveness, understanding that lament involves self-examination and a desire for reconciliation.

Petition: Ask for God's Help Make specific requests of God. Ask for His intervention, healing, guidance, or restoration. Be honest about your needs and desires, trusting that God hears your prayers.

Declaration of Trust: Reaffirm Faith Despite the pain and confusion, declare your trust in God's sovereignty and goodness. Affirm your belief that God is in control and can bring good out of difficult situations.

Expression of Hope: Look Forward to Restoration Transition from lamenting to hoping. Express your expectation of God's future work—how He can bring healing, restoration, and renewal. Draw inspiration from scriptures that promise God's faithfulness.

Vow of Praise: Commit to Worship Promise to praise and worship God even in the midst of pain. This shows an attitude of surrender and acknowledges that God is worthy of worship regardless of circumstances.

Conclusion: End with a Prayer or Affirmation Close the lament with a heartfelt prayer or affirmation. Restate your trust in God and your commitment to walk with Him through the challenges. Conclude on a note of surrender and submission to God's will.

Week 1:

1.Write a lament about how anger has impacted you.

2.Share your lament (if you are willing) , how has anger impacted you?

3.How can you work on having the virtues of patience, self-control, and humility?