Choosing Grace over Anger

Posted by: Patrick Nugent, Overnight Radio Host | Monday, July 13th, 2026 ( 8:24am)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.—Galatians 5:22-25

“Dad?”

The soft voice startled me out of a very focused work time.

This better be good, I thought, as I remembered telling my children to leave Daddy alone for a while so I could get some work done.

“What?” my voice replied, already angry.

“There is something wrong with the toilet,” came the reply.

There was indeed something wrong; the toilet was clogged. My son and oldest daughter had tried solving the problem the only way they could think of...to keep flushing. And flushing. And flushing.

The bathroom was completely flooded. The water had seeped over the floorboards into the basement, flooding the room below. Water had gone into the vents and flooded the furnace. Water was everywhere.

Sometimes I think we give the devil “credit” for everything bad that happens in life. I don’t know if the devil is out there flooding toilets, but what I do know is that in that moment, I had a choice on how to react. I could follow the promptings of The Holy Spirit toward peace, patience, and kindness, or I could give in to my rage and scream at my kids until I was red in the face.

I chose the wrong one.

We’ve all chosen the wrong one at some time or another, but why? Why did I give in to the rage and attempt to satisfy my flesh craving to take my anger out on someone?

I may not be able to speak for everyone all the time ever, but I know the reason many of us give in to our flesh is because we don’t take this seriously enough. We actively resist the bigger sins like infidelity and lying, but sometimes we miss the more subtle sins that aren’t loving or reflective of who God is.

In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he says that the desires of our flesh are “crucified.” This is not gentle language. It’s brutal and harsh. That’s exactly what he intends. That we would take not just our sinful desires but our sinful thoughts, actions, and reactions and crucify them on the cross with Jesus. Instead of following our feelings, we would listen to prompting from the Holy Spirit. That brief moment when your mind warns you to stop before you react in a way you wish you hadn’t. That moment when wisdom tries to get your attention. That moment when you can choose to crucify the flesh and make a decision to give grace just like Jesus gave to us, even though, sometimes, it can be oh so hard to do.

As Christians when we seek guidance from The Holy Spirit, it gives us the chance to slow down and ask God, “What do you want to say to me right now?” Give Him time and space to answer, because His ways always bring peace, joy, kindness, and forgiveness. Not just to others, but to us.

I have grown a lot since that day when the toilet overflowed. I’ve asked forgiveness from my kids, and I told them it was wrong for me to react that way. Now when I find myself in a moment where I have two distinct choices—to respond by the flesh or respond in grace— I take a moment to pause and ask God, What do you want to say to me? Because I know His response is infinitely better than mine could ever be.