He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. Proverbs 16:32
In this world that we live in, we can be constantly stressed by work and life in general. As a result, one of the most common emotions that surfaces is anger! We can get angry with practically anything that doesn’t go right! God has created us with the capacity to get angry. We cannot ask Him to take away the emotion of anger or we will become dysfunctional, sedated and dull. What we need to do is to rightly manage it. God told Cain that he had to learn to manage his anger (Gen. 4:1-7).
How do you manage your anger?
(1) Reflect before you react. Don’t be impulsive. So many people say things in anger that they later regret. Proverbs 29:11 says, “A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back.” Ask yourself three questions that will help you learn about your anger: Why am I angry? What do I really want? How can I get what I want? Anger is never really the root problem in your life. It is a symptom, a warning light that tells you something is wrong. We are angry primarily because of three things: hurt, fear and frustration. What we want is acceptance, love and security and we will not get them by being angry. Instead, we should begin praying and changing the way we act.
(2) Release your anger appropriately. There are good and bad ways to release anger. Some books teach you to express your anger by venting it out! But remember: when you have anger outbursts, it only makes you angrier and it comes back to you because what you sow is what you will reap! Proverbs 15:1 says, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” So do you suppress your anger? No, you confess it. Admit it to yourself, to others, and to God! And even more importantly, admit why you’re angry.
(3) Renew your mind. Romans 12:2 says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The way you act is determined by the way you feel. The way you feel is determined by the way you think. If you want to change the way you act, you’ve got to change the way you think.
All anger is learned. Since it’s learned, it can be unlearned. James Dobson says this, “Successful marriages are not those where anger or confl ict does not exist. But rather, successful marriages are those where couples have learned to manage their anger.” Will you make up your mind to resolve the anger in your heart today? Will you ask God to help you control and manage your anger? There is a saying: “Hurting people hurt others. But loving heals people—both the ones giving it and the ones receiving it.”
In this world that we live in, we can be constantly stressed by work and life in general. As a result, one of the most common emotions that surfaces is anger! We can get angry with practically anything that doesn’t go right! God has created us with the capacity to get angry. We cannot ask Him to take away the emotion of anger or we will become dysfunctional, sedated and dull. What we need to do is to rightly manage it. God told Cain that he had to learn to manage his anger (Gen. 4:1-7).
How do you manage your anger?
(1) Reflect before you react. Don’t be impulsive. So many people say things in anger that they later regret. Proverbs 29:11 says, “A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back.” Ask yourself three questions that will help you learn about your anger: Why am I angry? What do I really want? How can I get what I want? Anger is never really the root problem in your life. It is a symptom, a warning light that tells you something is wrong. We are angry primarily because of three things: hurt, fear and frustration. What we want is acceptance, love and security and we will not get them by being angry. Instead, we should begin praying and changing the way we act.
(2) Release your anger appropriately. There are good and bad ways to release anger. Some books teach you to express your anger by venting it out! But remember: when you have anger outbursts, it only makes you angrier and it comes back to you because what you sow is what you will reap! Proverbs 15:1 says, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” So do you suppress your anger? No, you confess it. Admit it to yourself, to others, and to God! And even more importantly, admit why you’re angry.
(3) Renew your mind. Romans 12:2 says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The way you act is determined by the way you feel. The way you feel is determined by the way you think. If you want to change the way you act, you’ve got to change the way you think.
All anger is learned. Since it’s learned, it can be unlearned. James Dobson says this, “Successful marriages are not those where anger or confl ict does not exist. But rather, successful marriages are those where couples have learned to manage their anger.” Will you make up your mind to resolve the anger in your heart today? Will you ask God to help you control and manage your anger? There is a saying: “Hurting people hurt others. But loving heals people—both the ones giving it and the ones receiving it.”
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