08/28/2026
Below is a question submitted to “Ask the Pastor” from a brother in our congregation. The question and the answer have been edited from the original form for the purpose of this post, and it has been posted with the permission of the questioner.
QUESTION:
My perspective from a secular point of view is that the emotions surrounding a situation serve a purpose and we should never dismiss them for the sake of what I would consider cheap grace.
Instead, what I personally do is remove myself from the situation to process my emotions, returning only when I can approach it from a centered place.
Scripture says, “Do not sin in your anger.” For me, preventing that sin means taking immediate space and time. My anger is often telling me I need to process something I do not currently know how to communicate. Taking intentional space and prayer between an event and my action is where I believe we can find the spiritual fruit we should be giving others—both believers and non-believers.
Is there a biblical framework similar to this processing method?
ANSWER:
If I understand you correctly, then, according to God’s word, I believe you are on the right track. I think you are correct that our emotions do serve a purpose, but we must also keep in mind that often our emotions cause us to react in a way that is not Godly. I think you understand that and it’s why you remove yourself for the purpose of processing them. I believe that all too often, we allow our emotional state to dictate how we respond to the situation. Ideally, our emotions should follow the truth and be dictated by what is true. They should never be allowed to shape our perception of reality, and we should do what we know to be right, according to God’s word, no matter how we feel about it.
The process you have described is biblical. It is in keeping with the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5 (especially self-control). You quoted from Ephesians 4:26 “Be angry and yet do not sin.” In verse 27, Paul wrote, “and do not give the devil an opportunity.” I too need to step away from things when possible so that I can process them and respond more correctly and hopefully in a way that glorifies our Lord! James 1:20 says “The wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God.” This is one I need to be reminded of regularly!
Mathew 4:4 “…man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” If we understand that the Lord is the source of wisdom, then we will stay in His word and “out of [our] heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38)
I hope this was of some use to you, may God bless you brother!
