Devotion - On Anger

Ephesians 4:26-32 (New Testament, The Bible)
Verse 26: "Be angry, and yet do not sin..."

Is there a contradiction of terms here? "Be" and then "do not". What kind of exhortation is this? Can one really be angry, and yet not sin? I think so. I can be angry, and yet don't slam the door. The door is not at fault.
Lots of people have the ability and power to agitate and frustrate me. Really. But whether or not I express my anger when they do is entirely my choice. People don't "make me" angry; I allow myself to express my anger.
Truth is: No one, absolutely no one else can make me respond aggressively or inappropriately when I feel anger. It seems just exactly the opposite, that because my constant and chosen response to feeling anger has become so routine that it seems "automatic". It feels as if the person or event triggered my anger and caused my angry response but in actual fact I was just giving excuses. I set to 'auto-pilot' mode as far as anger is concerned. And that needs to be changed, and soon.
Reality is: so many of my responses to anger result from learned behavior. I learned it long ago, from people I grew up with and around. And the scary thing is that I learned it so informally and subtly that I was not even aware of it.
Fact is: I have reflected and come to realise that anger is an inescapable fact of life. No one is spared. Even my Lord kanna before. It's there, read it. But the experience of anger is different from the expression of anger. What I feel about angry situation that arises, versus what I do with my anger, how I express it and manage it, is another matter.
The good news I discovered is that what I have learned I can also unlearn, and even relearn new responses. By the constant renewal of the mind and active obedient to the prompting of the Spirit, it is possible for me to manage my anger in a God-honoring way.

Here am I, I can do no other, so help me, God. May my outward expression reflects my inward obedience as a result of my upward experience.

Be angry, and not sin.

My Devotion Today

Proverbs 29:1-11, The Bible
Verse 1: A man who hardens his neck after much reproof will suddenly be broken beyond remedy.
Verse 11: A fool always loses his temper, but a wise man holds it back.

I admit I have always had an issue with the display of anger. I am angry, angry with stupid system, angry with stupid people, angry with that stupid taxi driver that cuts in with no warning, angry with that stupid moron who share his shit and smoke in the toilet cubicle. Man...I really have a problem! Someone please kill me now! I pay you $10K.
My anger has cost me my marriage, my family, my wife, my son, my future...if I allow it to rob me further.No, I intend to do something about it - today. I will start to deal with it again - now. Like verse 1, I have hardened my neck after much reproof. I have been discouraged and dismayed over my failure to overcome this handicap call anger. But I know deep within that I am not broken beyond remedy. God is not finished with me yet. The Great Weaver still needs me on the easel. The Principal of the School of Hard Knocks still needs my class attendance and projects. I know I am not done because He is not done.
So, Mr Anger, watch out! I am coming back! Round two won't be a walk-over for you now. I will put up a defense against your on-slaught, in order to protect all that which is dear to me - my wife, my son, my gifts, my ministry, my calling, my vocation, my destiny! Watch your goal post!!
I also notice that the Word of God did not say, "...but a wise man did not have or will not have - anger". The Word says he holds it back, despite having the anger. I realised that being angry is a very real thing, but staying angry is optional. I will find ways to do that.
Okay, enough of holy holy.