Righteous anger is not an oxymoron like some think. It's straight up biblical.
Consider the following verses from Ephesians 4, ESV (emphasis mine):
25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may givegrace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Is it wrong to be angry? If you think so, then you are forgetting that even Jesus got angry when he cleared the temple (Matthew 21). The people's actions made Jesus angry because they were displeasing God.
A lot happened over the last year of my life that made me angry. I won't glorify Satan with the gory details, but to sum up, I was thrown in the pit and trampled over by family, friends, and fellow church goers. It hurt. Then, it made me furious.
Was I wrong to get angry? Absolutely not. When people sin against me, it should make me angry. When people sin against others, it should make me angry. When I sin, it should make me angry, too. In other words, when sin happens, I should get angry because I should hate sin as much as God does.
But (and it's a BIG BUT), the story doesn't end there. I, like God, must forgive. Verse 32 of Ephesians makes it clear that no matter how angry I might become, I have a greater calling to be tenderhearted towards others. He forgave me; therefore, I forgive others. The conclusion is based on the premise. It makes sense to forgive. It's kind to forgive. Most importantly, it's Christ-like to forgive.
Don't be mistaken: It's not wrong to get angry when people sin against God, others, or you. It's wrong to let it consume you (v. 31). It's wrong to let it lead you to sin (v. 26). You can be angry, Christian. It's biblical to be angry, yet holding it inside won't help mend your hurt. Lashing out at others after wallowing in the anger won't either.
What then should we do when we get righteously angry? Acknowledge the anger, feel the anger, express it to God, seek reconciliation with the offender, and forgive the culprit no matter what.
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