Bible Verses about Anger: How to Overcome

Throughout the decades we have always heard the Bible quote from Ephesians that says, “be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” (Ephesians 4:26, NASB, emphasis added) Following this principle is not always easy.

So many times, we become angry with someone, and we get lost in that anger. We want to feel justified for our feelings, so we let ourselves sit in them until we feel ready to “get over it.” Learning what God says about anger in the Bible can help us learn to harness this emotion and keep from hurting those we love.

Why God doesn’t approve of our anger

Because we live in a fallen world, we know the emotion of anger far too well. It’s that overwhelming emotion that comes when your teenager becomes rebellious. We feel angry when we disagree with our spouse. We try to reason that there can be healthy anger. God does not want us to be okay with anger. It can cause us to hurt others and sometimes the results of anger can lead to broken relationships.

The question is can there be healthy anger? If there is, then how can we tell whether we are exhibiting healthy anger? There are ways to handle anger appropriately. But, according to God’s word anger is not healthy for us. It is not a fruit that God wants us to grow.

Cease from anger and abandon wrath; Do not get upset; it leads only to evildoing. – Psalm 37:8, NASB

But God was angry!

As we read through the Bible we come across instances where God was angry with His children. We tend to relate that anger with our human anger.

The thing we forget is that God’s anger is not like our anger. His is an anger that is pure and sinless, perfectly appropriate to the sin committed. When the people of Israel failed to follow God’s instructions, He became angry. God’s anger in the Bible is not the same as our anger in the world.

God’s Word tells us that He is a gracious and loving God. He loves us because He chooses to love us. We don’t earn it and it isn’t based on what we look like. It just radiates from Him because He chooses to give it.

He is also a holy God. His anger is a result of His holiness and who He is. It is a result of His hatred for sin against His perfect holiness.

So the LORD’S anger burned against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness for forty years, until the entire generation of those who had done evil in the sight of the LORD came to an end. – Numbers 32:13, NASB

Bible verses about anger

By reading what the Bible has to say about anger, you can overcome most anger issues. God knows people experience emotions. He also knows that we are sometimes ruled by those emotions. This is the exact reason He has addressed emotions like anger in His Word.

Because the people of Israel chose to reject God’s Laws, His anger was against them. Yet, He did so out of the immense love He has for them. These are some of the places in God’s word that encourage us to refrain from anger.

Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes stubble, And dry grass collapses in the flame, So their root will become like rot, and their blossom blow away like dust; For they have rejected the Law of the LORD of armies, And discarded the word of the Holy One of Israel.

For this reason the anger of the LORD has burned against His people, And He has stretched out His hand against them and struck them. And the mountains quaked, and their corpses lay like refuse in the middle of the streets. Despite all this, His anger is not spent, But His hand is still stretched out. – Isaiah 5:24-25, NASB

God does not like evil. He only shows His wrath against those things or people who choose evil over His love and grace.

A jealous and avenging God is the LORD; The LORD is avenging and wrathful. The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies. – Nahum 1:2, NASB

God’s anger against His redeemed people does not last forever. He has placed that wrath on His Son in our place. His love, grace, and mercy for believers lasts for eternity.

For His anger is but for a moment, his favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning. – Psalm 30: 5, NASB

Unlike God, our anger is not perfectly holy and when done in sin, is not a behavior that God will bless. As we seek righteousness in Him, we must know that anger does not promote love and peace.

You know this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Now everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for a man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness of God. – James 1:19-20, NASB

We should not be filled with attitudes or actions that will not bring life or encouragement to others. Jesus instructed us to love others as He loves and to forgive as God has.

All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. – Ephesians 4:31-32, NASB

As parents, we should never provoke our children to anger. We should teach them how to walk in the fruit of the Spirit.

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. – Ephesians 6:4, NASB

When we try to justify being sinfully angry, we are opening the door for foolish behavior. God does not want us caught up in behavior that will cause us emotional pain.

Do not be eager in your spirit to be angry, For anger resides in the heart of fools. – Ecclesiastes 7:9, NASB

How do I overcome anger?

When you recognize that you are having problems with anger the first step is to take inventory of your actions. Do you lash out at people? Do you experience physical effects such as shaking, sweating, or rapid heartbeat? These are just a couple of questions that you can ask yourself as you try to understand your anger issues.

As you answer questions about your anger seek to find answers about anger in the Bible. This will help you understand what steps will help you overcome being angry.

There are a few things along with God’s word that can help you control this tough emotion. You can also reach out to a trained Christian counselor who will use faith-based techniques to assist you as you seek to control your anger.

Here are some steps to help you gain control over anger before the situation escalates into something harmful to you or others:

Step away from the situation

Before you continue in the conversation/argument step out of the room. Allow yourself to breathe and remove the intense feelings that are overwhelming you at that moment.

Count or repeat a calming word

Choose a word that will help you calm yourself. For instance, you may choose to repeat the word “peace” until you can feel yourself becoming less tense.

Try stretching it out

Don’t pace and continue to think about the situation. Choose a non-strenuous exercise to loosen your muscles.

Dance it out

When you feel like you need to jump try dancing to a favorite song that will get your mind off the situation long enough to release the tension.

Listen to or read the Word of God

Most of us have a phone app that we can use to listen to the Bible. Choose a soothing book such as Psalms to help you reach a point of calmness.

Pray

When you don’t know what else to do, pray. Pray about the situation and ask God to lead you in the correct response.

Help with Bible verses about anger

Once you have taken an inventory of your anger you can use these techniques to help you remove the tension in your body. If you find that you cannot seem to reach a place of calmness you can reach out to a Christian counselor in your area. Most Christian counselors can help you identify triggers. After identifying triggers, you will be able to find a treatment plan that works for you.