“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:26-27)
Notice what this verse doesn’t say: it doesn’t say “do not be angry.” Anger itself isn’t automatically sin — Scripture describes God himself as angry at injustice. The instruction is more precise: be angry, and in that anger, don’t sin. Anger is a real, sometimes appropriate response. What you DO with it is a separate question.
“Do not let the sun go down on your anger” is practical, almost logistical advice: don’t let unresolved anger fester indefinitely. Anger held onto too long tends to curdle into something worse — bitterness, resentment, a grudge that outlives the original offense and starts causing new damage.
“Give no opportunity to the devil” ties unresolved anger directly to spiritual vulnerability. Lingering anger isn’t just an emotional issue — it’s described here as an actual foothold, a doorway, for something more destructive to work its way in. Dealing with anger promptly isn’t just good emotional hygiene. It’s spiritual protection.
Reflect: Is there anger you’ve been carrying past its “sundown” — letting it sit long enough to start curdling into something worse?
Prayer: Lord, help me feel anger honestly without letting it turn into sin. Don’t let me give the enemy a foothold through unresolved bitterness. Amen.