Anger is prevalent in America. “Anger is an emotion characterized by antagonism toward someone or something you feel has deliberately done you wrong.” – American Psychological Association (APA). Anger is not wrong if it spurs you on to positive action, but it is dangerous if you are motivated toward revenge.
As a retired Speech-Language Pathologist, I have witnessed many preschoolers, who should have been preoccupied with play and laughter, come to school angry. Deborah Kotz, sharing a Harvard Medical School finding, wrote that 8 percent of teens have regular violent outbursts that fall into the category of a mental health disorder. The British Association of Anger Management stated that “about 22 million people [Americans] — have a history of impulsive angry behavior and have easy access to at least one gun.” Turn on any news channel and you will witness the results of destructive anger unleashed in our homes, workplaces, and places of worship.
If you are hurt and angry and are contemplating revenge or you know someone who is, please keep reading. The Bible has a recovery plan. This blog has limited space, but I can share several pearls of wisdom from scripture to help overcome destructive anger. You will need to take time to meditate on each scripture and pray for divine guidance, strength, and courage to learn to live these scriptures daily.
- Assess yourself. Is anger your modus operandi, your go to emotion, your habitual response when things do not go your way? Proverbs 29:11 (NASB) – A fool always loses his temper, But a wise man holds it back. Which one do you want to be?
- If you are justifiably angry, think about the matter before you act. Do not let anger consume you. Psalm 4:4 (NLT) – Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.
- If you need to confront the person, following is a biblical way: Matthew 18:15-17 (NASB) – If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
- Forgive. Ephesians 4:32 (KJV) – Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
- No matter what the response is from the other person, if you took these steps to heal and please God, you will be blessed. Proverbs 16:7 (KJV) When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
My prayer is that you conquer destructive anger and live in peace. #JoinTheConversation