Anger is a snare for the soul

“Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, Lest you learn his ways. And set a snare for your soul.” Proverbs 22:24-25 NKJV

In an article published Tuesday titled “Music Is Your Ultimate Training Partner,” it was said that listening to the right tunes can optimize our recovery, bolster our endurance, and—of course—help us run faster. A perfect running playlist delivers you into that elusive flow state, where peak performance feels effortless. The writer then gave a few tips on how to design a personalized playlist including one to "Dial Into Your Fastest Emotions.” Stir up the feelings that give you an edge. Does a little anger make you run faster? Tap into that, says Stephen Gonzalez, PhD, assistant athletics director for leadership and mental performance at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, and an executive board member for the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. But pay attention to the length of your run and the limits of your endurance before you amp yourself too much: Gonzalez points to pro fighters who come out to hype music, get into the ring, and swing so hard that they’re exhausted by round two. “[Music can] heighten emotions to the point where it impacts [an athlete’s] physical ability,” he says. Build in calmer breaks if you tend to push yourself too hard.

And you know, while “a little anger” might indeed make us run faster, any anger other than righteous anger has absolutely no place in the life of a believer. In fact, the Bible warns us to not even to make friends with an angry person and to avoid altogether those people who are bound to fits of fury lest we learn their ways and “set a snare” for our soul. You see, a person who can’t control their anger displays bad character and can be a very dangerous companion. On the other hand, wisdom chooses friends very carefully and should make no friendship with an angry man since as James 1:20 tells us “the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

So avoid being quick-tempered my friend since wrath destroys you from the inside out, tears people down and ruins your witness. Keep only those friends in your inner circle that will lead by example and help you grow more like Christ. After all, above all else we should be seeking His righteousness.

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that we are greatly influenced by those we spend time with. Knowing that Lord, please cause us to choose our friends wisely and to practice self-control ourselves so that anger would not be a snare for our soul. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!