Delores Liesner
Activating Faith in everyday life
What Good is Anger?
What is Anger? indignation, fury, stirred up emotion, a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility
Anger – a punishment we give ourselves, usually for someone else’s mistake.
Anger – whoever makes you angry, or keeps you angry, has control of you – your emotions and your attitude.
Anger – God expects it. He understands we will get angry, but gives us a choice and directions of what to let it do and not do.
Prov. 15:18
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.
What good can anger possibly do?
Anger can help us identify triggers
Anger can motivate us to do something about whatever makes us angry
Anger can help cope with stress by discharging the tension that built up to that point
Anger can make us face consequences (especially if we are angry at ourselves)
Anger can lead us to call out to God when we realize who or what is controlling us
Anger can make us aware of injustice and motivate us to correct it
Anger can be a bargaining tool if it makes the antagonist realize they are being hurtful.
Anger can increase cooperation if the anger is justified and controlled and appropriate
Anger can lead to self-improvement if we improve or change our response to its triggers
Aristotle said: “Anybody can become angry — that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way — that is not within everybody’s power and is not easy.”
The Bible says:
James 1: 19-20
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
Proverbs 29:11
A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back.
Proverbs 19:11
Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense
We all have many stories of the hurt anger has caused but do you have a story of some good that controlled anger has brought about?
Be the Miracle! – with journaling pages
Delores Liesner: Author
American Christian Fiction Writers Association
Delores Liesner 