Question 1

What causes a short temper?

Accepted Answer

Galatians 5:19-21When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.James 4:1-2What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.Our sinful nature can cause a short temper when things don’t go our way or when we don’t get what we want. Often this reveals a lack of trust in God.Ecclesiastes 7:8-9Finishing is better than starting. Patience is better than pride. Control your temper, for anger labels you a fool.Impatience brings our anger to the surface and makes us look foolish.James 1:19-20Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.Pride shortens our tempers. When we are proud, we are quick to reject others’ advice and are easily angered when they disagree with us.Proverbs 27:4Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood, but jealousy is even more dangerous.Jealousy can hide beneath a hot temper.

Question 2

What are some of the consequences of a short temper?

Accepted Answer

Proverbs 14:29People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness.Daniel 3:13, 19, 26-28Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in, . . . Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. . . . Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke! Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.A short temper can cause us to make terrible mistakes. Due to his rage, Nebuchadnezzar hastily sent some of his most capable and faithful servants to what he thought would be their deaths.2 Kings 5:12-14Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than any of the rivers of Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be healed?” So Naaman turned and went away in a rage. But his officers tried to reason with him and said, “Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!’” So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child, and he was healed!Proverbs 14:17Short-tempered people do foolish things, and schemers are hated.A short temper can cause us to act foolishly. Naaman’s temper almost cost him his opportunity to be healed.Proverbs 15:18A hot-tempered person starts fights; a cool-tempered person stops them.Proverbs 25:28A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.Proverbs 29:22An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin.A short temper can lead to fights—often with words, even if not with fists. Ironically, a short-tempered person is not usually equipped to end those fights. Instead, feelings escalate and sin wins the day. This leaves them constantly at war with others and vulnerable to provocation, like a city with broken-down walls.1 Samuel 25:17, 25“You need to know this and figure out what to do, for there is going to be trouble for our master and his whole family. He’s so ill-tempered that no one can even talk to him!” . . . “I know Nabal is a wicked and ill-tempered man; please don’t pay any attention to him. He is a fool, just as his name suggests. But I never even saw the young men you sent.”A hot temper causes a great deal of damage to ourselves and others. Words spoken in anger are often the most hurtful and the most memorable. Self-control is a sure defense against angry words that can alienate those we love.Proverbs 22:24-25Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.A short temper can be contagious among a group of like-minded people. The anger of a single member can cause a frenzy in a dangerous mob. Much violence has been caused by individuals who lead their friends astray.1 Samuel 20:32-33“But why should he [David] be put to death?” Jonathan asked his father. “What has he done?” Then Saul hurled his spear at Jonathan, intending to kill him. So at last Jonathan realized that his father was really determined to kill David.Ephesians 6:4Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.A bad temper allows anger to destroy relationships, as when Saul’s anger with David overflowed in an angry outburst at his son Jonathan. It is far easier to break a relationship than to repair it.

Question 3

How can I better control my temper?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 86:15You, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.Proverbs 16:32Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.Nahum 1:3The Lord is slow to get angry, but his power is great, and he never lets the guilty go unpunished. He displays his power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath his feet.Galatians 5:16-17, 22-23Let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. . . . But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!Colossians 3:8-10Now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.2 Timothy 1:7God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.God is even-tempered. As we grow to know God more and live under the control of his Spirit, we will be able to keep our tempers in check. We will model Jesus’ earthly example through our growing maturity.Ephesians 4:2, 26-27Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. . . . And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.2 Timothy 2:24A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.James 1:19-20You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.As we rid ourselves of our old sinful nature, we will treat others differently. Our new nature will be humble, patient, forgiving, and peaceful.Proverbs 12:16A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted.Proverbs 19:11Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.Proverbs 29:11Fools vent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back.Ask God for the wisdom to remain calm and avoid being controlled by anger. Ask for peace in the moment and a steady reaction to the events and words that provoke you.Proverbs 15:1A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.Proverbs 17:27A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.James 1:19-20Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.Thinking before speaking is a sign of wisdom and a key to neutralizing potentially angry situations. We should use well-chosen and gentle words in order to keep tempers in check.Proverbs 13:20Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.Proverbs 22:24-25Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.We should stay away from angry, short-tempered people, or we will learn to be like them and endanger ourselves. We become like those we spend our time around. If our friends often act in anger, we can easily be swept along with them. In time, this can become a habit, even when we are not around them.

Temper