Restraining Anger

18 MAY

And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said,, I do well to be angry, even unto death. Jonah 4:9

SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Proverbs 16:27-33

God did not merely reprove His servant Jonah because he did not patiently bear the withering of the gourd because he became angry, and his anger was excessive. Jonah was grieved beyond measure and without restraint, so his anger was justly condemned by God as a fault.

The answer of Jonah confirms this, once the minds of men are blinded by a wrong feeling, they will not listen to God, even if he thunders and explodes from heaven. Since we find such an example of perverseness in this holy man, Jonah, how much more should not every one of us fear? Let us learn to repress our feelings of anger and to bridle them at the beginning, lest they burst forth to such a greater extent that we eventually become altogether obstinate.

Who would know that the holy prophet could have been brought to such obstinacy? Let us be reminded by this remarkable example how furious and unreasonable are the passions of the flesh. Therefore we ought to restrain these passions before they gather more strength than they ought.

John Calvin

FOR MEDITATION:

Do you ever let passions rise to the lever where you are totally incapable of accepting and digesting rebuke, even if it comes from God? Jonah’s shocking impudence demonstrates that he had this problem. Remember his account when you next feel your passions rise, and heed its warning.

365 Days With Calvin

Selected and Edited by Joel R. Beeke