Why Are You Angry?

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”—Genesis 4:6-7

Cain did the wrong thing. He was jealous of his brother. His emotions were getting the best of him so God as the counselor steps in with excellent advice for any of us. “Be careful of your anger. It wants to eat you up.” And what is the solution? Do the right thing.

How many times have we allowed our emotions to take control because it isn’t fair, or because we don’t agree, or even because we want something to be a certain way? When anger dominates, bad things happen. The solution is to pull back and do the right thing.

Parents and children need this lesson. Anger damages relationships and makes us downcast. Doing the right thing is hard sometimes. It requires a change in expectations and direction. But it’s doing the right thing that God blesses. Part of that blessing is that our own hearts experience more peace.

Anger isn’t always evil but it certainly is dangerous, leaving room for all kinds of evil to pounce into our families.

Lord, please calm my heart today. Help me to see how my emotions might be creating bigger problems in my life. I want to do what’s right. I want to avoid the sin that’s crouching at the door. Please help me to tame my emotions and keep them under control today so that I can receive the benefits and blessings you want for me and for my family. Amen.