DEALING WITH ANGER

How can I deal with anger in my life and become an encouraging person? I believe that GOD's design is for all of us to be encouragers and build one another up - I don't believe that we should settle for second best or a mediocre life where we pass ourselves off as 'difficult' or 'grumpy'!

Before you read on let me remind you that you are GOD's masterpiece, created and designed for a purpose! Seek the best, seek excellence, seek HIM!

Let us not be misconceived, anger is real and it's hard to deal with, but it is possible! It may be easier said than done, but here are a few easy steps that you can incorporate into your everyday life to become less angry and more encouraging!

1. WAIT ON GOD

Psalm 39:13-15 – I will wait for You Lord, You will answer – David let the Lord take control of a situation that could have angered him. In Proverbs 20:22 we read Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you! How encouraging is that! We must never underestimate the value of not rushing into things, waiting allows GOD to move in HIS timing.

2. BE PREPARED, IT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN!

How many times should I forgive someone who keeps repeating the offence? Peter asked Jesus the same question in Mat 18:21-22, Jesus gave him such a large number that it was implied that we should keep on forgiving. I believe that it's because it will probably happen again... so we should be prepared to forgive. GOD gives us a model for this in HIS Grace, we can never out-sin Grace!

Silly Anger...

(this post is part of our series on dealing with anger)

There's no better way to describe this last type of anger other than calling it unnecessary, wasteful, silly anger...

How are we silly in our anger?

Grumbling
“Do not grumble against each other.” James could not have put this any simpler nor any more precise. DO NOT GRUMBLE AGAINST EACH OTHER. If we look at this action, we can see how it's the easy way out! When we grumble it shows that we are not willing to deal with our problem since we will not say out loud what we are feeling. Instead we duck and divebomb leaving nuances and cryptic clues as to what the actual problem is. Like distant thunder, we can hear it coming but never know when the storm will hit!

Stored Anger...

(this is part of our series on anger)

How can we encourage others if we are keeping note of everything that they've done to annoy us? Anger that is stored up hinders our relationships with others and with GOD.   It makes it really hard for us to worship Him and seek justice in the world.

There is a beautiful verse in Romans which says Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (12:21). In Genesis 4 we read of the first murder in the Bible, Cain took his brother Abel out because sin was crouching at his door and, although GOD warned him, he allowed the anger in his heart to master him. If we want to become encouragers for Christ, then we need to check this out big time!

I believe there are three ways in which we can store anger - let's take a look...