In Your Anger, Do Not Sin: A Journey of Honesty, Healing, and Surrender

A biblical and personal look at anger, bitterness, and healing through God’s presence. This post explores what Scripture teaches about righteous anger vs. sinful anger, how bitterness takes root, and the steps to surrendering hurt to God for emotional and spiritual restoration.

In the blog post, "Darkness Cannot Hide You | For The One Wrestling with Depression," I shared how God had lovingly rebuked me for the distrust I had unknowingly allowed to take root in my heart. In this post, we’re picking up around that same time to the moment where i recognized that bitterness had taken root in my heart towards God. But before I take you into that moment, I want to dive into what the scriptures say about anger.

What Does the Bible Say About Anger?

Psalm 4:4

"Be angry, yet do not sin; on your bed, search your heart and be still."

James 1:19–22

"Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires..."

Ephesians 4:26–27

"In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold."

(ESV: “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger”)

These verses make it clear—anger itself is not a sin, but what we do with it can be.

Anger Isn’t the Enemy—Sinning In Anger Is

Anger is an emotion and the emotion itself isn't bad nor is it a sin. For many of us, especially those who have spent years pushing down emotions, this can be a hard truth to accept. Personally, this has been a struggle for me and sometimes still is.

There are examples throughout scripture of anger without sin. This can be found throughout both, the Old and New Testament, but today we are going to be in the New Testament.

Let's take a look at Jesus as the example.

Mark 3:1–5

“Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.” Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.” Jesus, in the synagogue, heals a man on the Sabbath and looks upon the people with anger, distressed at their stubborn hearts. He was angry at injustice.

John 2:13–17

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Jesus clears the temple with righteous anger, overturning tables and driving out those who were desecrating the sacred space.

In Greek, the word for zeal is zēlos - which is described as a "reaction of the divine nature against sin." It’s not reckless or uncontrolled—it’s passionate, purposeful, and rooted in justice. This is being angry and not sinning.

When Anger Turns into Sin

Scripture also warns us—anger can quickly become sin:

• When we let it linger (Ephesians 4:26)

“In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold”

• When we lose self-control (Proverbs 29:11; 14:17)

“A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.”

• When we are quick-tempered or lash out (Proverbs 14:17)

“A quick-tempered person does foolish things, and the one who devises evil schemes is hated.”

• When we speak unwholesome words in our anger (Ephesians 4:29)

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

If left unchecked, anger turns into bitterness and becomes a foothold for the enemy. And this brings me to a story I want to share from February 2024.

A heart of bitterness

A week or so after God had encountered me and rebuked me for my distrust, I went to the beach with my mom, my older sister, and our dogs. It was towards mid-February I believe and so it was cold, grey, and windy.

One morning, I planned to sleep in, but my dog Yosef had other ideas. After letting him out, I felt a quiet pull in my spirit to go for a run. My legs had been giving out unpredictably in recent weeks, but after some reassurance to my family, I went.

I started walking with worship music in my ears. But soon, my legs began to feel heavy and I knew they would give out at any moment. I spotted a bench on the board walk and sat down.

As I sat there, I felt distant from God. I felt as if the previous week I had put a wedge between me and Him. I closed my eyes and tried to pray, but I couldn’t form words. I told the Lord, “I don’t know what to say, but I’ll sit here and listen for you.”

And I closed my eyes and waited.

Then, the Spirit brought Ephesians 4:26–27 to my heart:

"In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,  and do not give the devil a foothold."

For years, I’d heard this verse in the context of relationships with others—especially marriage. But in that moment, the Lord showed me something deeper:

I had let the sun go down on my anger toward Him.

Night after night, I buried frustration, disappointment, and hurt. I never confessed it. I never surrendered it. And in doing so, I gave the enemy a foothold.

I was angry with God. Angry that things hadn’t turned out the way I believed they would. Angry at the suffering I was enduring. But instead of giving that anger to Him, I buried it—and it festered into bitterness.

So I repented. I asked God to begin softening my heart, to help me process what I was feeling, and to guide me toward healing.

Three Steps Toward Healing from Anger

If you’ve been carrying anger—toward God or people in your life—here are the steps the Lord led me through:

1. Be Honest with God and yourself

Psalm 139:23–24

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me as know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Ask God to show you what’s really going on inside. When He does, be honest. He already knows. For me, the root was hurt. Maybe for you, it’s fear, grief, or disappointment.

2. Bring It Into the Light

James 5:16

"Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working”

When God showed me what was happening in my heart, I told a few trusted people. Their prayers, encouragement, and truth that they spoke would bring me out of the shame the enemy was trying to trap me in. God used these people to deeply encourage my spirit.

3. Abide in His Presence

Stay close to Him. Soak in scripture. Praise the Lord. Pray.

Psalm 91

"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.'"

A couple of weeks after that moment on the bench, I attended a church in Florida. During worship, I lifted my hands and surrendered everything. I said, “God, I don’t want this anger or hurt anymore.” And in that moment, I felt the physical weight of it all on my chest being pulled off.

The Lord was waiting for my surrender. The moment I surrendered the weight of bitterness lifted.

Maybe that’s where you are right now.

Maybe you have bitterness in your heart towards someone in your life.

Maybe you’re mad at God. Maybe you’re holding on to pain, and it’s turned into anger you can’t shake. Can I gently challenge you, as your sister in Christ?

Go to Him.

Tell Him how you feel.

Then—wait.

Let Him speak.

One thing God has been teaching me deeply since 2024 is the fear of the Lord. He doesn't owe us anything. And yet, He loves us, is patient with us, and invites us into a relationship with Him.

Sometimes, His response is a rebuke. Other times, it’s a gentle revelation of our hearts. But in all things—He is good. And He wants to heal you. He wants you to walk in freedom.

Click here to read Psalms 96 - a psalms of praise. And as you read it, may it stir a reminder in your soul of who He is, and how worthy He is of our trust—even in the middle of our wrestling.

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Remember you are so loved, valued, and cherished.