According to Ephesians 4:26, anger itself isn’t a sin. It’s how we deal with our anger that can lead us to sin. Aggressive displays of anger are sinful, and they 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.
There were several warning signs Cain missed that could have tipped him off that his anger was getting the best of him. His motivations weren’t in the right place when he and Abel made sacrifices 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.
We’d love to share some additional resources to help you deal with anger: