I'm Just a Guy: Who's AngrySample

Redeeming Anger

I’ve come to realize that anger, in and of itself, is not evil.
If God wired us with this emotion, then it must have the potential—when surrendered to Him—to be used for good.

For most of my life, I equated anger with sin. But that assumption caused me to bury it or feel condemned by it, instead of exploring how it might be redeemed. Only through intentional reflection and spiritual maturity have I started to see that not all anger is destructive. In fact, some of it is deeply righteous.

When I examine the things that stir anger in me and align them with what grieves the heart of God, a pattern emerges. Issues like the sanctity of life, the biblical design for marriage, and the pervasive spread of sexual immorality strike at the very core of God’s created order. When I see the world distorting those sacred things, I feel a holy discontent—a fire that, when rightly channeled, points to truth.

Just today, I was in a conversation with a group of brothers about medically assisted suicide. That kind of deception—packaged as compassion—has crept into many nations. It cultivates a culture of death that directly opposes the heart of the Author of Life. As we talked, I felt anger rising—not at the people in the room, but at the evil that fuels such distortion. That anger wasn’t bitter or impulsive—it was conviction with a pulse.

So, how do we redeem anger when it reaches that boiling point?

For me, it means taking action—not against people, but against evil itself.
Paul didn’t say to overcome evil with outrage, sarcasm, or silence. He said to overcome evil with good. That means I must speak life, affirm truth, and actively remind others of their worth. Every time I proclaim that someone is a son or daughter of the King, I’m punching a hole in the darkness. Every time I call out lies that diminish value or identity, I’m standing on holy ground.

The more I think about it, the more I realize—I’ve been too spiritually passive in the past. That’s a hard truth to admit. But when I look at Scripture, I’m not drawn to stories of safe men. I’m drawn to the ones who stood up, took action, and let holy fire move them forward—even when it cost them everything.

That’s the kind of man I want to be.
That’s the kind of anger I want to carry—righteous, redeemed, and redemptive.

I would call this focused anger, serving the world, not detracting from it. This would be the opposite of day one's description of anger. This is anger and evil and action at its source, not anger at the environment and action at the self.

So if you’re a man who wrestles with anger, I hope this reflection has helped you reframe it. Don’t ignore it. Don’t suppress it. Examine it. Ask where it’s rooted. And if you find that it’s tied to something close to the heart of God, then let it fuel obedience.

Because the right response to righteous anger isn’t destruction—it’s direction.

Reflection Questions

1. How do you typically respond when righteous anger rises up?
2. How can you turn your anger into purposeful, godly obedience today?

Thank You

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