ANGER DANGER

It could be that one of the biggest dangers of anger is to assume we don’t have any. However a lot of us have issues with anger without knowing why. All we know is that at just the right moment, condition or situation we might explode like a firecracker! It can be very scary.

So where did that anger come from? What triggered that outburst? All kinds of things seem to float to the top when we ask these questions. “My daddy/momma did me wrong.” “My Uncle/Aunt was a freaky monster and violated me.” “The Scout Master, School Teacher, Preacher, Boss, Coach or the first cousin… hurt me deeply.” “My husband/wife made me crazy.”

How would I know? I am certainly not a shrink, or a person capable of knowing many of the answers. It’s often been said that ‘anger’ is one letter away from ‘danger.’ I do know that much is true from my own experience and the experience of others close to me.

“Anger is an emotion characterized by antagonism toward someone or something you feel has deliberately done you wrong. Anger can be a good thing. It can give you a way to express negative feelings, for example, or motivate you to find solutions to problems. But excessive anger can cause problems.” (American Psychological Association)

The biggest issue with anger to me is: one can rarely take back the words, behavior or consequences of anger. Living with anger can be hell. Thankfully repentance and restoration are possible for the angry person. Everything else is downhill. For one’s own sake: Forgive those who have done you wrong.

“But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Jesus