When we’re angry we know how we shouldn’t respond. So how should we respond? The answer is in a Christlike way. Firstly, we need to not walk away and leave conflicts unresolved and simmering. Instead we should aim to sort things out. The Bible tells us to not offer our gifts to God if we have unresolved conflicts. ‘First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift’ (Matthew 5:24 NIV). Whether we’re angry with someone, or they’re angry with us, it needs to be sorted out and brought into the light. Secondly, we need to forgive. God calls us to be people who are ‘kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other’ just as He forgives us. God’s forgiveness is a gift, it’s a part of His amazing grace towards us. And we need to try and show that same level of grace and forgiveness to those who we become angry with. Forgiving those who’ve hurt us is hard, but if we don’t then it’s us who hurt even more. Forgiving sets us free. Finally, we need to try and be understanding. We need to look at the bigger picture and consider what’s caused another person to act a certain way or say something hurtful to us. Maybe they’re hurting too, maybe they’re going through a tough time or experiencing anger over something themselves. This doesn’t excuse what they’ve done to us. Instead it takes the edge off of our anger and softens our heart towards the person, making us more willing to forgive and resolve the situation.

What now?
Re-think the situation that made you angry, and write down how you think Jesus would have handled it. What parts of your reaction were the same? What parts were different?