How to Use Wisdom in Overcoming Anger

We’ve all heard the saying, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” And yet, every time we scroll on social media, there’s a new viral video of people arguing, complaining, or throwing punches. According to a poll taken just before the pandemic, 84% of people think Americans are angrier than the generation before, and 42% admitted that they themselves were angrier.

To be fair, anger isn’t a sin unless it’s uncontrolled or directed in the wrong way. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 4:4, “Be angry, and do not sin” (ESV). The apostle Paul quotes this verse again in Ephesians. There are many places in Scripture where God is described as being angry, and our Lord Jesus displayed a righteous anger on occasion. So, the true question is how do we deal with anger in a God-honoring, Christ-like manner?

Recently, I was driving to church, and everything was fine until I got on the freeway. Once I reached a speed of 60 mph, my car started vibrating. By the time I reached 70 mph, the whole steering wheel was shaking back and forth! So, of course, I pulled over and had my vehicle taken in. My mind was racing with all sorts of things that could potentially have gone wrong, and the thousands of dollars the damage might cost me. But I was surprised to find out that my tires were simply imbalanced.

I didn’t even notice the imbalance at slower speeds, but the faster I went, the more apparent the problem became. The same is true when it comes to wisdom and the way we live our lives. Sometimes, the difference between the world’s wisdom and God’s wisdom might seem insignificant. However, the farther we travel without godly wisdom, the more unsteady and chaotic our lives become! Take a look at what James, the half-brother of Jesus, has to say about the effects of worldly wisdom:

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” — James 3:13–16 (ESV)

Is it possible that you’ve noticed a wobble in your life? Maybe it doesn’t seem like much of a problem until life starts to speed up, your selfishness swells, and your anger starts to get out of control. If this is you, it’s important that you submit yourself to the truth of God’s Word and rebalance your faith before your life turns into chaos.

But how can we know for sure that godly wisdom has taken root in our lives? James gives us two concrete signs that we can watch out for:

1️⃣ Godly Wisdom Produces Peace

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” — James 3:17 (ESV)

In his commentary on the Book of James, Dr. Daniel M. Doriani says that, taken together, “The effect of [the above] traits of wisdom is peace and righteousness for the family of God. If earthly wisdom brings strife, godly wisdom brings unity and peace.” If you’ve been a Christian for long enough, then you know this is true because you’ve experienced it in your own life and witnessed it in the lives of others.

Before I came to faith, the way I spoke would have made a sailor blush! I cursed and made crude jokes so often that even when I was restraining myself, it was a bit much for others. However, after I came to faith, members of my family started saying things like, “Something is different about him. His speech and whole demeanor have changed.” The truth was that I’d had an encounter with the living God, and as a result of this incredible transformation, the fruit of my life began to change. I didn’t tame my tongue through my own strength and effort, but through the work of the Holy Spirit in me as a result of seeking God’s wisdom in his Word.

So, which of the virtues in James 3:17 do you struggle with the most? Do you tend to be argumentative or harsh? Are you unreasonable and unforgiving? Perhaps you wrestle with insincerity or playing favorites with people. No matter what you struggle with, James has already provided us with a solution:

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” — James 1:5 (ESV)

If we desire the wisdom of God that produces peace, then the first step is to ask for it. Ask, James says, and God will give it generously, without holding back!

2️⃣ Godly Wisdom Takes Action

“Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” — James 3:18 (ESV)

As representatives of Christ, we’re not called to only receive peace with God…we’re called to take action. I’m not a farmer, but I know that farming isn’t easy! Farmers have to know the seasons and be familiar with the crops they are growing. They get up before the sun to till soil, fertilize, and plant seeds. They have to monitor the rainfall, spray pesticides, and care for their growing crops until they are big enough, strong enough, and mature enough to be harvested.

That’s the picture that James is painting when it comes to godly wisdom. Living it out isn’t as simple as throwing out seeds of peace and then hoping that people will come to know the Lord. It takes work. It takes discipline. It takes action.

Are you willing to do the hard work, the dirty work, of discipling someone toward a mature faith? Because you’re going to have to pick them up when they fall. You’re going to have to be a shoulder to cry on. You are going to have to forgive them when they sin against you. But that’s what it looks like to put God’s wisdom into action: to sow and farm Gospel seeds into the lives of people until they produce a glorious harvest of righteousness.

There’s a world of people out there who desperately need to know Jesus. Many have employed the world’s wisdom, bringing only anger, bitter jealousy, hatred, and division into their lives — because worldly wisdom brings chaos. However, as Christ-followers, we have the opportunity to pursue the fruits that come with godly wisdom. It’s not the easy way. It’s a spiritual battle. But even amid the battle, we can have peace knowing that, through Christ, the war has already been won.