Managing Anger By Faith

Now that we have defined faith and come to understand that time, life and everything else was created by the Word of God, we take a look at some of the faith-filled men and women who exercised their faith in their daily lives. And as we do, we ask ourselves how we may emulate them and their lives.

The first to step before us is Abel, the second son of Adam and Eve, the first humans on planet earth. His name means breath. We're not told why his parents named him Abel. We hear nothing about his childhood or how he came to be a shepherd. We only learn that in the course of time he and his brother Cain both brought offerings to the LORD. Cain was a farmer, a worker of the ground, so what he brought was an offering of the fruit of the ground. No mention is made of what it was or of how they made this offering. A thousand questions hover around those statements. Yet that is not the point. The point is that

"for Cain and his offering the LORD had no regard." —Gen. 4:5 ESV

To have regard is to pay attention, to look upon a person favorably. In this case, it means that the LORD looked into Cain's heart. The LORD did not see faith there. Already, in this very early stage of mankind's development we find a man who did not put his trust in the LORD and His promises. Already we find a man who went through the motions, but meant nothing by them.

It is also interesting to note that the LORD spoke directly to Cain. Did the LORD speak as He did to Cain's parents in the Garden? We're not told whether it was Adam through whom the LORD spoke or whether this was a direct communication. We're not told about other sons and daughters of Adam and Eve until after Cain murders his brother. Only then do we read that . . .

Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, "God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him." - Gen 4:25 ESV

Undoubtedly there are many events and many other children of the first couple that are left out of this history. And there were many, many years for having many, many children, etc. All we read is

The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died. - Gen 5:4-5 ESV 

The emphasis in Hebrews 11 is upon faith in this small nuclear family. One brother walked in faith. The older did not. Cain did not offer his praise and worship in faith. Abel did. Instead of faith Cain hated his brother. He burned with anger and the anger captured and controlled his heart in the same way that a hungry beast hunts down its prey and seizes it. He could not manage or control it in spite of the LORD's warning.

If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it." - Gen 4:7 ESV 

In our day we hear much about "anger management." Some make their living trying to teach others how to do just that.  I even found an anger management brochure on the American Psychological Association website. They say that

Anger can be suppressed, and then converted or redirected. This happens when you hold in your anger, stop thinking about it, and focus on something positive. The aim is to inhibit or suppress your anger and convert it into more constructive behavior. The danger in this type of response is that if it isn't allowed outward expression, your anger can turn inward—on yourself. Anger turned inward may cause hypertension, high blood pressure, or depression.

Good advice. The psalms say essentially the same.

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. - Psa 37:8 ESV

HOWEVER ! the psalms speak in the context of faith. They do not assume that anger can be controlled easily or always. Instead David writes,

Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. - Psa 37:1-8 ESV

 This is how the man of faith acts. He turns his anger over to the LORD and focuses upon Him. He may be angry because of what has happened and the injustice of it all, but he commits his way and his life to the LORD and puts his trust in Him. He believes that the LORD will act to bring forth righteousness even though at the moment he cannot see how.

We all have much to learn about anger, hate and how to manage our feelings. The Word of God teaches us to begin with forgiveness even as we are forgiven in Christ. Then focus and meditate upon God's Word and find peace.

Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. - Psa 55:22 ESV