When (not if, but when) I am angry, I don't want to sin. What is one very common way that I sin when I'm angry? -Denying that I am angry, through first lying about being angry to myself and believing I am "above" getting angry, then lying to others and God out of successfully deceiving myself first.
The way I can get rid of my anger is by admitting I am angry. It is not sinful to be angry. It is however, sinful and therefore spiritually, emotionally and physically unhealthy and pernicious to lie about being angry, to myself and others. When I deny that I am angry, I am lying to myself and others out of fear which is stemming from a lie, that says: "I am my feelings." When I lie to myself, it doesn't take long to successfully deceive myself, and this gives the devil a chance to exploit me with my permission.
A good bedtime ritual is to practice self-examination and see if there are any lies I'm telling myself about my feelings,
Am I angry? If so, tell myself the truth about it. This is a form of "spiritual fire prevention". It prevents me from giving the devil a chance to operate in my life with my passive yet complicit consent. Instead, I am acknowledging the truth, which is necessary for being set free.
"Then you will know the truth. And the truth will set you free."
- John 8:32
