-When was the last time you apologized to someone, to whom did you apologize and for what?
-Why did you apologize?
-When was the last time you were really angry? Why?
-What is the difference between guilt and anger?
Last week we discussed guilt: I did something to you, took something from you, did you wrong and I know it, I feel guilty: I owe you! We learned how to make the debt go away and that is through confession and restitution.
Anger is the flip side of the guilt coin.
-Can you remember a time when you were hurt by another person, got angry and that anger came out on someone other than the person who wronged you? What happened?
If anger isn’t dealt with, it will pop out in times and towards people that you aren’t even angry at! You know what I mean? The problem isn’t in the other person or the environment, it’s in our heart!
“In your anger do not sin” : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” —Ephesians 4:26-27
-What do you see in this passage?
We see here we WILL get angry, but we do then, how we respond then determines whether or not it finds a foothold in our heart. Don’t carry your anger from one moment into the next! Get rid of it as soon as possible! Why? When you carry anger: not when you get angry, but when you carry anger, it gives the devil a foothold! Why is that bad? How many of you know someone that carries anger? Does it matter? You betcha!
This you know, my beloved brethren. 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 1:19-20
-What is James telling us about Anger in this passage?
-What does it mean that anger does not achieve the righteousness of God?
-What does anger often achieve?
-How do you think being quick to hear and slow to speak connects to being slow to get angry?
-If you had to choose one thing to work on this week in order to reject anger what would it be?