Anger is an emotion so strong, if not controlled, can have terrible effects on you as a person and on those near to you. It spreads a negative feeling on those around you. Anger can make others feel put off, upset, intimidated and worthless. It can have a very negative effect on your partner and others’well being. Anger has destroyed lives, marriages, friendships and churches. Not to mention Nations.That is how negatively powerful anger is.
For the one whose anger is easily triggered, hypertension, anxiety and persistent headaches can be the order of the day. Anger can put one at risk of a heart attack. It can be good when it does not take over our self-restraint. For several people, anger is a means of defence against injustices that took place in one’s life, especially as a child and the anger was not dealt with, It was bottled in.
Examples of things that can trigger anger are abuse, rejection, loss of loved ones through death, divorce or abandonment. These can happen in childhood, teenagehood, and the anger manifests in adulthood. Many questions would run through the child’s mind as to why suffering is taking place, with no answers, and so they bottle up the emotions of anger and bitterness,
A lot of pain is experienced, so they became bitter and defensive, and the manifestation is anger. Things that others would joke about would anger them. When people laugh, the conclusion is they are laughing at Them. When you come across one who is going through such, encourage them to talk about their experiences and to forgive all those who have mistreated them, what am I saying? The actions of others would trigger memories of the past, and we who became the closest and nearest become the recipient of that anger; like you have to be careful what jokes are shared and how you speak in their presence. Everyone, near and kin becomes affected. But by God’s grace, many can deal with the anger and accept that they are not alone, but there are others experiencing the same, perhaps even worse (1 Peter 5:9).
People must accept the reality that family members, friends, society and the Church can be very cruel because human beings are capable of hating even innocent children who just need love and acceptance; except they are truly committed and connected to God through salvation by faith.
Today, as children of God, we must determine that, no matter what provocation, we will be tolerant and patient, instead of anger, we will respond and not react, but take the matter to God in prayer and communicate with those who offend you. People deal with anger differently, but at the end of the day, you have to decide to deal with the issue in away thatshows you are a child of God. Are we going to look and let people down trode us because we are Christians? In no way should you turn a blind eye or deaf ear to offences, rudeness and disrespect, in no way should you laugh and pat someone on the shoulder for doing wrong, no, But communication is the best way to deal with any issue.
If you are easily provoked to anger, know that dialogue is the key, identifying the triggers is key and accepting that extreme anger will never solve any problem will go a long way in helping to deal with that anger. You know what?anger is normal when expressed in moderation.
SO WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT ANGER?
In the bible there is no anger management, but there is transformation through the renewing of the mind.Romans 12:2 says, do not be conformed to the standards of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of the mind. How can one become transformed? By doing the following:-
- Forgive all those who offended, wronged and mistreated you. It can be family, friends, teachers, pastors, fellow Church members or employer. It can be someone who lied to you, cheated on you or disrespected or humiliated you. It doesn’t matter. Decide to forgive.
- Forgive yourself and ask forgiveness from those you have offended. Forgiveness is not felt, it is something you do. To forgive is to release, to permit those who wronged you to walk away free so you can be free.
- Live a life of an ambassador for God, representing the values, attitudes and power of a higher call. Extend kindness, grace, compassion and healing every where you go. Be an agent of forgiveness in an unforgiving world.
JAMES GIVES COUNSEL
James 1:19, ‘Let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger’. God is in no way saying anger is wrong, of course we are going to be angry, that is part of our creation package, the emotion of anger is in us but it must be controlled, it must not control you. In simple terms, Apostle James is saying, do not be quick tempered. Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:26 says,‘ be angry but do not sin by letting the sun go down while you are still angry’.What Paul and James are saying is that, we must lead a balanced life not extremes. King Solomon also says in Proverbs19:11, a man’s discretion makes him slow to anger and it is his glory to overlook an offence. Discrition In life comes as a result of balance and it is a mark of wisdom to be able to overlook wrongs.
King Solomon said something profound in Proverbs 16:32, He said, he who is slow to anger is better than the mighty. We can see from the above scriptures and many others, that the issue is not anger, but how much it controls us. Being slow to anger is a mark of strength, mastery, leadership and self control; which means you can rule your spirit, this will bring success in dealing with issues. Ephesians 4;31-32, Paul told the Christians in Ephesus to ‘ Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and slander be put away, along with malice and to be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ has forgiven us’. If you see the warning light of anger flushing, Reject it in the name of Jesus. We can live above the bondage of anger, with Christ inside of us, we can do it. God bless you all.
