One day, tucked inside a local newspaper, there was a mugshot and a story that stopped me cold. The man looked frightening—and the crime was worse. He had raped and murdered a woman who had rented him a room in her home. The details were disturbing enough that they don’t need repeating.
I don’t know why she rented out that room. It may have been financial need. It may have been compassion. It may have been her gift of hospitality. Whatever the reason, she allowed a dangerous man temporary occupancy in her home—and it cost her her life.
That story has stayed with me, not only because of the tragedy, but because of what it illustrates spiritually.
Ephesians 4:26–27 (NIV): “In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”
The word foothold comes from a Greek term that literally means limited occupancy—giving someone a place to stay for a while. That is exactly what happens when we allow unresolved anger to linger. We give the devil permission to occupy space in our hearts and minds.
Why would we ever do that?
Why would we allow someone whose only purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy—even temporary access to our inner life? Letting anger remain is spiritually no different than handing the devil a spare key and saying, “You can stay here for a bit.”
When anger and strife are present in our hearts, they do not remain passive. They spread. Unresolved anger takes root, and when it does, it grows into bitterness. Anyone who has tried to pull out a deeply rooted plant knows how difficult that can be. Often the root snaps, leaving part of it underground—ready to grow again.
That’s why God gives us such clear instruction: don’t let the sun go down on your anger. Deal with it quickly. Uproot it while it is still manageable.
Anger that leads to unforgiveness and then bitterness is like a fast-moving cancer. It grows as we replay offenses in our minds and rehearse them with our mouths—usually to someone else. Bitterness is rooted anger, and once it settles in, it becomes far harder to remove.
The solution is simple, though not easy: don’t let it take root in the first place.
Anger itself is not a sin. It is a God-given emotion. But it must be governed.
Romans 6:12 (NKJV): “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.”
The word reign means to rule like a king. A king has authority. Scripture makes it clear—you are meant to rule over your thoughts, emotions, and responses. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you have authority over sin, anger, and every tactic of the enemy.
This verse assumes something important: you have a choice. You are not powerless. If this is a new revelation for you, embrace it. God has empowered you to deal with this.
Sometimes that means stopping and asking honest questions. Do I really need to feel this angry? Am I tired, stressed, or overreacting? Am I making a mountain out of a molehill? Do I love this person, and do I really want to wound them with sinful anger?
The foundation of our faith brings clarity here.
Romans 5:8 (NKJV): “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Jesus forgave us when we least deserved it. He had every right to be angry, yet love prevailed. That same forgiveness must flow through us to others. It is rarely easy—but it is always right.
When someone says, “You don’t know what they did to me,” my gentle response is this: you don’t know all the offenses God has forgiven you—yet He did so fully and freely.
I have learned that forgiveness often begins by faith, not feelings. When I obey God and forgive by faith, my emotions eventually follow. Peace comes because obedience always brings freedom.
Some anger can be addressed; some must simply be released. You cannot control every inconvenience or offense. But you can choose mercy, faith, and love. Forgiveness uproots anger immediately and denies the devil any place to operate.
So choose to rule and reign. Overlook small offenses. Extend mercy instead of blame. Refuse to give the devil even limited occupancy in your heart or home. The cost is too high, people are too precious, and God has been far too merciful to us.
Proverbs 19:11 (NKJV): “The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.”
