Anger is a fairly natural response, and in some cases it can be a healthy feeling. Sometimes it
can be useful in protecting ourselves or those we love. However, acting with extreme anger
can have devastating consequences. It says in the Bible, “Be anger, and do not sin.”
It is important not to suppress our anger, but instead try to understand why we are angry.
We do not want our anger to take us to places we will later regret. For this reason it would
be a good idea to take a breath before making any decisions, taking action, and waiting long
enough for information to pass from our emotional brain to our intellectual brain. Mostly
when we act in anger, after a while we may regret our behavior. It is quite possible to
behave very differently if we wait to cool off a little.
How we display our anger is often something we learn from what our parents model. No
matter how much their anger hurts us, we may realize that we treat our children with the
same anger. It’s very sad, but there is a cure. We can learn to deal with anger in a healthier
and more accurate way. It’s possible to find ways to control it rather than letting anger
control us.
If you find that anger is taking over, it is safe to say you’re probably close to losing it. An out-
of-control rage certainly brings destruction. So make sure you still have the steering wheel.
I’m not saying suppress your anger but work to keep it under control. That way, it’s easier to
make the good decisions that you won’t regret later.
If you’re struggling to cope with anger, getting help with it can also have very good results
for you and your loved ones. As in many cultures, we have many proverbs in this regard.
Because surely everyone has experienced the consequences of anger both ways. You’ve
heard of “A bad temper harms its possessor most.” You may think that the anger you hold in
doesn’t hurt anyone, but it’s not true. Keeping such strong emotions within you can cause a
lot of harm, even to the point of causing physical ailments. That’s why it’s so important that
we do whatever it takes to deal with anger.
“All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along
with all malice.” Ephesians 4:31
If you want to know more about anger management, you can listen to our podcasts on this
topic.