Stories of Mental Health in the BibleMuestra

Anger - Cain

According to Ephesians 4:26, anger itself isn’t a sin. How we deal with our anger can lead us to sin. Aggressive displays of anger are sinful and often cause hurt, sadness, and fear in others.

God warned Cain not to let his anger consume him. He says, “sin is crouching at the door, eager to control” him (verse 7). We, too, can fall under anger’s control if we aren’t on the lookout.

Several warning signs Cain missed could have tipped him off that his anger was getting the best of him. His motivations weren’t right when he and Abel sacrificed to God; Cain gave a halfhearted offering before God, while Abel brought his very best. Cain also became envious of his brother. His envy gave way to a blind rage, which drove Cain to commit murder.

Anger is a natural emotion that we will all experience from time to time. But we can take steps to lessen its influence over us when we earnestly pursue a relationship with God and allow him to soften our hearts.