Dealing with anger can be difficult. I often have a short temper with those I am close to. But, immediately getting angry is not okay and clouds your judgment and actions. I have struggled with this throughout my life, but God has helped me work on improving it.
So what should we do with our anger? How do we stop ourselves from saying and doing things we will regret? What does God want us to do?
It can be so easy to get angry.
Your employee made a SIMPLE mistake that they are experienced enough to AVOID.
Your spouse FORGOT to do something important that you REMINDED them about a million times.
Your child did something that you JUST asked them NOT to do.
The list could go on and on…
In the moment, it can be difficult to think of all the reasons you should NOT be angry.
Your employee has been overwhelmed with customers all day and they are worn out.
Your spouse has a lot on their plate and you stacked another thing onto it without stopping to consider.
Your child is under a lot of stress from school and changes that are happening around them that they have never experienced before and don’t know how to handle it.
We can often be blind to the situations of those around us, even those closest to us, when we become frustrated.
When we are angry, either with ourselves or someone else, we still shouldn’t lash out at someone, because it is often hurtful and spiteful.
Dealing with Anger in a Godly Way
Admit You Are Angry
So how can we deal with this anger? We should strive to deal with the anger in a Godly way.
Simply trying to hide your anger and not acknowledge it, it can often lead to rage boiling under the surface that will soon explode or turn into resentment.
The first step then, should be to acknowledge that you are angry. Not lash out, or do anything in retaliation, just admit that this emotion needs to be dealt with.
God is aware that we will become angry at times. Ephesians 4:26 states, “Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath.”
Being angry is not a sin, but acting out of anger can be. Rather than act, take a second to breath, admit you are angry, but do not act.
Commit to Forgiveness
The next step is to set your heart on forgiveness. Once you have admitted you are angry, committing yourself to not hold what made you angry against that person is an important step.
At the moment, you may still feel reistment against them. But forgiveness should not be about how you feel in the moment, but in the long term.
When we make the heart decision to forgive, and set our will to no longer hold what someone did to me against them, God understands we are striving to let go of our anger and forgive.
Act on Forgiveness
Once we set our heart on forgiveness, it is important to act on the commitment. An effective way to do this is to Pray, and again admit what made us angry, but that we are letting go of it.
Putting things in God’s hands helps us lighten our burden and recognize that He is in control.
Once we have given it to God and stated we have forgiven the person, it can also help us treat them in a respectful way again, because we have let go of the anger.
Pray for Help with Anger
It always helps me to also ask God for help with dealing with these feelings of anger in the future. To have greater patience and understanding.
Praying for this can help give us peace, in the moment, and in future situations, so that we have more control over our anger.
Continue to Let Go
We can get control over our anger with God’s help, rather than acting blindly out of anger.
By following the teachings in the Bible and leaning on God, it becomes easier to step back for a moment, calm down, and move forward with a level head.
“Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”
– Colossians 1:12-14
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