“It’s our emotions that often get the better of us even when we think we know better or know more.”
The Gospel Mind, July 24, 2021.
You can find Episode 4 here to stream or download within a few hours of the show airing on KKMS 980 AM. Please refer to the disclaimer at the bottom of the Show Notes page regarding all views expressed by Anthony Bushnell or his guests on the air and in these notes.
Acknowledgements: As always, unless I noted specifically that I did not consult an article or work in preparing the program, please assume all the people listed below deserve credit and gratitude for helping make this content possible.
Recommended Resources
This is a good place to remind ourselves that the most valuable resource we can make a habit of turning to is the Bible itself. There are many verses copied below under Scriptures, but I also recommend using an online Bible site such as Bible Gateway or Blue Letter Bible and doing a word search for “anger” or “fear” and reading through the Scriptures that come up. I have learned so much by doing this sort of study. Simply reading God’s Word helps shape your thinking and your emotions, especially when you pray over the verses and ask God to apply them in your heart.
The Discipline of Grace, Jerry Bridges (NavPress: 1994, 2006). In Chapter 1, Bridges discusses the “good day-bad day” comparison and how the gospel should change the way we think about God’s willingness to help us even when we don’t feel we deserve it.
Habits of Grace: Enjoying Jesus Through the Spiritual Disciplines, David Mathis (Crossway: 2016).
The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World, Brett McCracken (Crossway: 2021).
“The Pride of Being Afraid,” John Piper (Desiring God, from a 1981 article for Bethlehem Baptist Church). This article makes a brilliant point about how God speaks to us about fear. God tells us not to be afraid, but he also warns us that when we focus on our fears, we are no longer trusting him as God or remembering his character. To be afraid of what people may do to you is to lack trust in God. So put your trust in the Lord and find freedom from fear because he is stronger than all the things you fear.
Scriptures
Scriptures Describing How the Holy Spirit Brings Forth Behavior and Attitudes in Us That Honor God and Produce Good
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Gal 5:16-24 (ESV).
“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Romans 8:5-13 (ESV).
Emotions and Desires Often Drive Our Behavior and Undermine Our Relationships
“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James 4:1-4 (ESV).
Scriptures on Anger (with additional notes and references in the Word of God for deeper study)
“Now, behold, Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen. And Saul said, ‘What is wrong with the people, that they are weeping?’ So they told him the news of the men of Jabesh. And the Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled. He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of the messengers, saying, ‘Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!’ Then the dread of the LORD fell upon the people, and they came out as one man.” 1 Samuel 11:5-7 (ESV) (you can read the whole story of this event in 1 Samuel 11).
“Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.
Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the LORD.” Psalm 4:4-5 (ESV).
“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 (ESV).
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” James 1:19-21 (ESV).
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:21-24 (ESV).
Notice how the Book of Proverbs contrasts the positive value and wisdom of being slow to anger with the dangers of anger. The Bible teaches not only that venting anger is normally bad, but also that avoiding or restraining angry emotions often produces good things in their place.
“The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult.” Proverbs 12:16 (ESV).
“Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.” Proverbs 14:29 (ESV).
“A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.” Proverbs 15:18 (ESV).
“Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” Proverbs 16:32 (ESV).
“Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.” Proverbs 22:24-25 (ESV).
There is a lot of wisdom here for us to reflect on about what we listen to and the kinds of programs, shows, books, and company we expose ourselves to. You cannot spend very long listening to someone who is venting their indignation or anger without being provoked to anger yourself- either in agreement with them or because you are so offended by them! Other people’s emotions will shape you if you are not careful.
Scriptures on Fear (with additional notes)
See “The Pride of Being Afraid,” John Piper, and the comments above under Recommended Resources. Piper discusses Isaiah 51:12 and Luke 12:4-7. Notice why the Lord commands us not to be afraid. He is not telling us to simply “get braver and tough it out.” God reminds us that when we are in the grip of fear, we are forgetting who he is. We are forgetting that he is good and faithful and he watches over us to protect us. The antidote to fear is to remember God and focus on his greatness and power. Matthew 6:25-34 gives us the same reasons as a way to fight anxiety too.
“fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (ESV).
“I, I am he who comforts you;
who are you that you are afraid of man who dies,
of the son of man who is made like grass,
and have forgotten the LORD, your Maker,
who stretched out the heavens
and laid the foundations of the earth,
and you fear continually all the day
because of the wrath of the oppressor,
when he sets himself to destroy?
And where is the wrath of the oppressor?
He who is bowed down shall speedily be released;
he shall not die and go down to the pit,
neither shall his bread be lacking.
I am the LORD your God,
who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
the LORD of hosts is his name.
And I have put my words in your mouth
and covered you in the shadow of my hand,
establishing the heavens
and laying the foundations of the earth,
and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.’”
Isaiah 51:12-16 (ESV).
“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:4-7 (ESV).
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:25-34 (ESV).