What are we talking about today?
The key to happiness in life often comes down to how we handle our emotions. They are powerful! And typically, the hard emotions linger much longer than the fun emotions.
How well do you handle your impatience, anger, and frustration? Does it line up with God’s Word?
Because God is the source of our peace and emotional health, we’re turning to his Word today to learn and grow.
So let’s open the Bible together and look at 7 powerful Bible verses that help us manage our anger, impatience, frustration, and all those other hard emotions.
Let’s dive in.
Listen to Episode 47:
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If today’s topic is meaningful to you, you’ll also want to check out these earlier podcast episodes that connect with this same topic:
- Episode 31 // Keep your cool, mama! Here’s my quick 4-step process for handling frustration and impatience with my kids… no yelling, door slamming, or anger management necessary.
- Episode 38 // One simple strategy that will reduce your kids’ temper tantrums and help them (and you!) manage emotions better and develop good coping skills: less anger, less yelling, and MORE bonding
- Episode 17 // How can I be a good parent? Let’s apply 4 helpful Bible passages to this key parenting question.
Let me also offer a FREE resource that I know will be helpful!
We all need a daily habit of spending time in God’s Word and talking to him in prayer. Does that feel overwhelming for you? The Bible can be confusing and prayer can sometimes feel dry.
- Get a FREE copy of the Holy Habits 45-Day Bible & Prayer Challenge. With guided Bible readings and specific prayer prompts, you’ll develop a new habit that will boost your spiritual growth and build intimacy with the Lord.
[This post may contain affiliate links. If a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.]
Today's Episode Highlights
Let’s dive into our conversation today with a look in the Proverbs, to see just how destructive our impatience and anger can be:
- Proverbs 29:22 “An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.”
- Proverbs 15:1 “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
- Proverbs 15:18 “A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.”
Ouch.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be a person who stirs up conflict, commits many sins, makes people angry, and builds up a quarrel! That sounds horrible.
And it is not the way to love our people well.
Instead, I want to be the mom with the gentle answer and the patience that calms a quarrel!
We need to take our sin seriously
It can be easy for us to start to think of our impatience as normal, or our anger as justified.
Let me challenge you there, friend.
- Ephesians 4:26-27 “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.
This verse always reminds me of the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4.
God saw that Cain was angry and downcast, and so God warns him that “sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7).
Anger is an understandable emotion. The big problem is how do we respond to that emotion?
We cannot handle our emotions well without Jesus
While we may sometimes handle our emotions well, we will never control our impatience or anger because of our own effort.
We need Jesus.
- Matthew 11: 28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Anger and impatience are definitely wearisome and burdensome. They are exhausting. No one likes these emotions when they show up!
Jesus is our rest. “Rest for our souls” will absolutely include healthy emotional control.
- Psalm 18:6 “In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.”
When our emotions threaten to spiral out of control (which usually happens quickly!) we can cry to the Lord. He will hear our voice! He responds. As verses 1-5 tell us, He is our rock, fortress, and deliverer.
God saves us from (and in) our distress.
If you are not yet spending time with God every day, grab my free Holy Habits 45-Day Bible & Prayer Challenge.
Passages to meditate on for spiritual & emotional growth
I recommend that you spend some time meditating on these 3 Bible passages. Some verses are in bold for specific reflection.
- Romans 12:1-3 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”
What are you allowing to renew your mind?
Are you prideful about your emotional control?
Are you living sacrificially or selfishly?
- James 1:19-20 “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”
When you get angry or impatient… have you listened? Really listened?
Have you thought carefully before speaking?
Have you take a pause of time-out to cool down (if needed) to slow down your anger?
- Philippians 4:4-8 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
This passage outlines specific steps we can take when a distressing emotion is threatening us (anxiety, impatience, anger, fear). When your emotions rise, do you follow these steps?
What thoughts are filling your mind? Most especially, when you are getting angry?
Whom are you copying or imitating? Is it the world of social media or political news outlets… or the fellowship of believers and Christian mentors and friends?
Trust God in the middle of hard emotions
The Apostle Paul experienced great hardship and pain. When he asked God to remove a specific thorn that made him struggle, God responded… not by taking it away.
- 2 Corinthians 12:9 “But he [God] said to me [Paul], “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
This is true for us as well, friends. God’s grace is sufficient.
In our impatience, frustration, anxiety, and anger… accept your weaknesses, that Christ’s power may rest on you.
Practical action steps to help manage emotions
Spend time regularly with God. Grab a free copy of the Holy Habits 45-Day Bible & Prayer Challenge if you need help with this. Find a planner that prompts you every day for devotional habits, prayer, etc. so you don’t get caught up in your busy to-do list and forget to put God first (I always recommend the Hope Planner – I love it!)
Take time for yourself. You need space to rest and refresh, or your emotions will never survive! You can grab my free 51 Self Care Ideas List for some ideas that won’t take much time, effort, or money. Don’t fill up all of your time giving giving giving… your emotions can’t handle it.
Spend fun time with people you love. Clear the schedule. Plan no activities. Just enjoy time together regularly. It lowers our stress levels and makes us less likely to overreact.
Get encouragement and support on the journey! Hop into our private Facebook Group for ongoing encouragement and help in this area! If we are not surrounded with women who are similarly trying to love God and love our families well, we’ll be sucked into the temptations and lies of the world much more easily.
And pray. Pray for your thoughts, emotions, reactions, and behaviors. Pray for wisdom and direction from the Lord.
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