The Bigger View. Anger is about the immediate gratification of our own desires. Anger says, "I am the biggest thing that matters at this moment." Anger focuses on the moment that we are in. Anger does not think of others, eternity, or God. Anger fails to see the big picture, but rather it focuses on the temporary. Anger seeks to make ourselves the central focal point of the picture. Anger deceives, destroys, and disappoints.
In Romans 13:11-14 Paul shouts into our self-centered world and calls us to wake up! He reminds us that the day is at hand and we are to cast off the works of darkness (i.e. anger). We are to walk properly, put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Master, Savior, and King), and make no provision for the flesh, gratifying its desires. Every time that we give into anger we are giving into gratifying the desires of the flesh and we are casting off, rather than putting on, the Lord Jesus Christ.
In light of eternity, the BIGGER VIEW, we are not to walk as unbelievers, but walk as those who are being renewed and those who are in the image of God. In light of eternity, Paul calls us to put off corrupting talk, bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice. In light of eternity, Paul calls us to use words that build up, fit the occasion, and minister grace. He challenges us to put aside anger and respond with kindness, long suffering, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness (the same forgiveness that we receive from Christ).
We are part of something much bigger than ourselves, yet anger instinctively makes everything about us. We are the biggest thing in our anger. In our anger we lose perspective. However, by opening our eyes to an eternal perspective with God as the biggest thing, our anger is easily subsides. If anger does come, it is anger that defends the glory of God, His desires, His purposes, and His design. It is righteous anger and it is not anger that responds to our glory being diminished, our desires being cast aside, our purposes being thwarted, or our design being distorted. We are not the most important thing so there is nothing to be sinfully angry about.
Peter reminds us that we easily lose sight or we become too focused on that which is right in front of us. We lose sight of where we have come from and who has brought us out of the bondage of sin. We lose sight of where we are going. We fail to see this moment as temporary. We need to set our affections on those things that are above where we as true citizens resides and where we now sit at the right hand of Jesus. Anger is not looking at eternity, but rather it is focused on me and this moment. We need to see the BIGGER VIEW and in doing so, we are released from the deadly grip of anger.