August 1, 2007
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.
--Ephesians 4:26-27
A few years ago, I read an article in the USA Today that talked about the devastating effects of anger. In fact, the article listed hostility and anger (especially in men) as dangerous to our physical health causing high cholesterol and obesity!
Not only will bitterness chain you to the past, contaminate your personality, and color your relationship with Christ, but it will choke your productivity. This includes your physical productivity, your emotional productivity, and your mental productivity.
When you live with bitterness and anger in your life, you can’t be productive in anything you do. Your mind will be distorted and you’ll make all kinds of bad decisions.
What’s funny—and tragic—is that a lot of people call anger and bitterness something else entirely. They call it “righteous indignation” or their “sense of justice.” But I call it something else: sin!
When we live with the unrepentant sin of bitterness, it rips us from the inside out. And ultimately, if we don’t root it out of our lives, we become critical and cynical!
Take time today to look at your life and see if you are giving place to bitterness and anger. If so, ask God to help you root it out so that you can live fully for our Lord.
IF you live with bitterness and anger in your life, you will never be fully productive for christ.