Restraining Anger
Notes
Transcript
I. Hurry Up and Listen
I. Hurry Up and Listen
Anger often flows from a refusal to listen (cf. Prov. 18:13).
13 He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.
In the heat of the moment, we are often quicker to speak than we should be. But before James warns us against speaking too quickly, he wants to encourage us to hurry up and listen. Now, while it would be good for us to take time to listen to people before we get angry, I believe that the context of this chapter is calling us to hurry up and listen to the Word of God. So, in seasons when I am facing trials and tribulation, in times that I find myself tempted to explode with anger towards my neighbor, towards my circumstance, and ultimately towards my God, James invites us to sit down and to listen to God’s word on the matter. In Psalm 85, the Psalmist writes:
8 I will hear what God the Lord will speak, For He will speak peace To His people and to His saints; But let them not turn back to folly.
One thing we see being modeled by the Psalmist here is that he is behaving as a man with faith. What we must realize when we’re tempted to grow angry and bitter is that a person who is quick to trust God’s word over their emotions is a person who is living a life of faith and submission. Proverbs 19:20 says, “20 Listen to counsel and receive instruction, That you may be wise in your latter days.”
A good example of a life that is committed to hearing God’s word is that of Mary in Luke 10:39-42.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”
41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”
Not only do we see that Mary prioritized the words of Jesus over everything. But we also learn from Martha a bit too, don’t we? Instead of becoming disgruntled with Mary, maybe she would’ve benefited from thinking, “What is the Lord saying that has my sister so enamored and what does He have for me that I might need?”
II. Hold Our Tongues
II. Hold Our Tongues
The next thing that James wants us to do is to hold our tongues, and that is a hard thing for Americans, particularly those of us in the social media age. In our world today, we are so fixated on our freedom of speech, that we often forget that this doesn’t mean that we have to, our should, speak. One of the reasons James wants us to be mindful of our mouths when we get angry is that when we’re angry, we’re prone to talk, and when we’re prone to talk while angry, we’re bound to sin. For instance, have you ever walked away from a heated conversation and felt bad for what you said and later apologized for? Proverbs 10:19 knows how this is and says:
19 In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.
So, the one reason we should be mindful of our mouths when we’re made is that we don’t want to say something foolish.
2 Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.
The greatest example of anyone holding their tongue in the midst of trial is certainly the Lord. 1 Peter 2:22-23
22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;
He did not retaliate with His tongue but entrusted Himself to the Father, showing believers how faith governs speech.
III. Have Our Minds on God’s Glory
III. Have Our Minds on God’s Glory
James exposes the limits of human anger (cf. Prov. 14:29).
However understandable it feels, human anger lacks the capacity to produce God’s righteousness.
Anger often seeks personal justice rather than God’s purposes (cf. Rom. 12:19–21).
When anger drives us, we assume a role God reserves for Himself—vengeance and judgment.
God’s righteousness is Spirit-produced, not emotion-driven (cf. Gal. 5:19–23).
The fruit God desires flows from the Spirit, not the flesh, even under pressure.
Even legitimate anger must be governed by holiness (cf. Eph. 4:26–27).
Without submission to God’s glory, anger quickly becomes a foothold for sin.
