Anger is a normal feeling. We all get angry at times. And everyone deals with anger a little differently. A simple definition is, “the strong human emotion that you feel when you think that someone (a person, a group, an organization or institution) has behaved in an unfair, cruel, or unacceptable way towards you or others. In many cases we feel we have been hurt by others words, actions or both. Anger is our response to this hurt. There is emotional, spiritual and physical consequences to our anger, if not handled properly.
Anger has been around from the beginning of time. However, it seems to me there is so much more anger today! Family anger! Workplace anger! Road rage anger! Social media anger! Racial anger! Political anger! Sad to say at times, there is even anger in the institutional church!
How can we get a handle on it?
I honestly confess, there are times I have been angry at someone or something that deeply concerns me. I usually do fairly well with channeling my anger. Other times it is “not pretty at all” and I need to seek forgiveness. We’ve all been there at one time or another. You may even be there right now.
I wonder what God thinks about all this uncontrolled anger and angst in our world today? Are we part of the problem or part of the solution to this problem? There is plenty of scripture that encourages us to deal with our anger. And as Christians, just maybe, we can find healthier ways to process our anger.
“Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret, it leads only to evil.” Psalm 37: 8
Please join me in worship this week as I will be speaking to and preaching on this topic. It’s my hope you will take with you a better understanding of anger and “how better to handle it.”
Blessings,
Pastor Dave Weaver