One Simple but Effective Test for Your Anger

Every get angry? Ha! Join the crowd of many of your family members, church family, coworkers, and neighbors. Most people get angry. We may be able to say that all people get angry sometimes. Here is the shocker. Potentially, your angry is biblical. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Be angry…” (Ephesians 4:26). He actually tells us to be angry. However, you probably know, the verse continues. Quoting again, “Be angry, but do not sin.” Oh wow! I have found through life, pastoring, and counseling, most people find it easy to be angry; the difficulty lies in the “but do not sin” part. Yet, God expects us to not sin. Therefore, let me share with you one simple but effective test for your anger. If you pass this test, then your anger is most likely godly; however, if you fail this test, then you can know that your anger is not.0

Before the Test, a Word on Anger

I often like to define anger as a God-given emotion to help me solve problems biblically – perhaps, even better, a God given energy to solve problems biblically. As people, our ability to be angry comes through the fact that we are image bearers of God. Since God is angry (Ps 7:11), we also can be angry. Anger is one of His emotions that we also can exhibit. Different than God though, our anger can also be sinful. We sin and are sinners; therefore, our anger follows the same path often. Although we may have a righteous motive and reason to be angry, our anger can (and often does) transition to ungodly or unrighteous anger.

As you consider anger, think about milk. Milk on the shelf of your refrigerator has a shelf life. Most people stay somewhat aware of the milk’s expiration date. Spoiled milk not only tastes gross, it is gross. In a similar way, anger also has a very short shelf life. It too spoils quickly. Actually, anger spoils much quicker than milk. Sometimes, our anger can spoil in just moments.

So although you had a righteous motive and reason to get angry, your anger quickly spoiled. Now, you are left with an unrighteous anger. Once here, your life begins to get worse. Where you once had a godly and righteous anger, you now have a spoiled, unrighteous anger that just complicates your life, increases your sorrow, builds your guilt, flames your shame, and often results in a lot of self-justification. When we actually take time to consider our anger, we recognize this went bad quickly.

Have you ever been there? Maybe you are now.

One Simple but Effective Test for Your Anger

Now, the test. Wouldn’t it be great if there was one simple but effective test for your anger to determine if it is godly or not? Thankfully, there is.

When you are angry, consider the fruit of the Spirit. As a reminder, they are:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Now that your are reminded of the nine specific fruit mentioned in Galatians, remember, there are other godly demonstrations of fruit as well (mentioned here under ‘such’). Piling them all together, think of this fruit of the Spirit as being in a fruit bowl. In your mind, regardless if it is on the counter of your kitchen, on the kitchen island, or on the kitchen table, look at these actions as fruit growing out of or surrounding a particular circumstance. Add your anger to the midst of it. Godly anger is spiritual fruit of the Spirit.

Here’s the test:

Look at the fruit in your bowl in the midst of your anger? What fruit is there? Do you see the fruit of the Spirit in your bowl or do you see works of the flesh? What is in the fruit bowl around your anger?

If you only have fruit of the Spirit in your bowl, then your anger is absolutely, most likely godly.

If you have fruit in your bowl that is not Spirit-driven, but, instead, have works of the flesh, then your anger is absolutely not godly. You have sinned in your anger; therefore, we cannot call your anger righteous anger.

That’s the simple test. Check the fruit around your anger.

Look in the bowl. If you have anything in that bowl other than the fruit of the Spirit in the bowl with your anger, then your anger is sinful. You need to repent. Begin the process of humbly seeing your anger for what it is and asking God for forgiveness. Then, seek the forgiveness of those around you who have been impacted by it as well.