How To Overcome Anger

Anger or wrath is an intense emotional response rooted in annoyance, displeasure, or hostility which is usually irrationaly. There are Over 500 references in the Bible; over 40 people or groups reported as angry

Types Of Anger

1.Righteous Anger: Righteous anger is typically a reactive emotion of anger over sin,mistreatment, insult, or injustice.It is refered to as righteous indignation.. Righteous anger arises from an accurate perception of true evil, from sin as defined biblically, i.e., as a violation of God’s Word (Rom 3:23; 1 Jn 3:4). Righteous anger remains self-controlled. It keeps its head without cursing, screaming, raging, or flying off the handle. . It does not ignore people, snub people, or withdraw from people.There are three occasions when Jesus was angry (Mk 3:1-6; 10:13-16; Jn 2:13-17) and it was righteous indignation. We also have cases of righteous anger in Saul and Jonathan (1 Sam 11:1-6; 20:24-35).

2.Sinful Anger: Sinful Anger is ‘a disorderly outburst of emotion connected with the inordinate desire for revenge.

This is what is called ANGER.

Examples Of Sinful Anger In the Bible And Causes

1. Cain angry with Abel (Gen. 4:5,6). ..Jealousy

2. Esau with Jacob (Gen. 27:34,45)....Cheating

3. Jacob with Rachel (Gen. 30:2).

4. Simeon and Levi with Shechem (Gen. 34:7)...Abuse

5. Moses with the Israelites (Num. 20:10,11)....Irritation

6. Balaam with his donkey (Num. 22:27)....Disappointment

7. Balak with Balaam (Num. 24:10).)....Disappointment

8. Eliab with David (1 Sam. 17:28)...Perceived Irresponsibility

9. Saul with Jonathan (1 Sam. 20:32).

10. Naaman with Elisha (2 Ki. 5:11)...

11. The soldiers of Ephraim with King Amaziah (2 Chron. 25:10).

12. Ahasuerus with Vashti (Esth. 1:12).

13. Haman with Mordecai (Esth. 3:5).....Disrespect

14. Sanballat, Tobiah, and others with the Israelites (Neh. 4:1,7)...Envy

15. Job with the three comforters and with God (Job 7:11; 10:1; 13:26; 21:25; 23:2; etc.)

16. Asa with Hanani (2 Chron. 16:10).

17. Herod with the wise men (Matt. 2:16)...Disappointed Expectation

18. The older brother with his father (Luke 15:28).Perceived Cheating

19. Peter with the people who identified him as Jesus’ disciple (Matt. 26:74)...Leakage of Secret

Harmful Consequences Of Anger:

PHYSICAL:

Anger triggers the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response. Other emotions that trigger this response include fear, excitement and anxiety. The adrenal glands flood the body with stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol.

The brain shunts blood away from the gut and towards the muscles, in preparation for physical exertion. Heart rate, blood pressure and respiration increase, the body temperature rises and the skin perspires

Health Problems Linked With Anger

The constant flood of stress chemicals and associated metabolic changes that go with recurrent unmanaged anger can eventually cause harm to many different systems of the body.

Some of the short and long-term health problems that have been linked to unmanaged anger include:

headache

digestion problems, such as abdominal pain

insomnia

increased anxiety

depression

high blood pressure

skin problems, such as eczema

heart attack

stroke.

ulcers

migraines

low back pain

psoriasis

shortened life expectancy

PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS

Unexpressed—and expressed—anger impacts a person’s mental health as well. Studies have linked anger to loneliness, chronic anxiety, depression, eating disorders, sleep disorders, obsessive-compulsive behavior and phobias. Anger’s harmful effects spill over into a person’s personal and professional lives, undermining a person’s capacity for emotional fulfillment and personal and professional achievement. In other words, anger can hold you back and keep you down.

Anger inhibits the development and maintenance of intimate relationships, often resulting in marital and occupational instability. Angry people frequently blow misunderstandings and minor grievances out of proportion and are more inclined to end relationships with people, even close friends, than work to resolve problems. Other people find their demeanor and mood unpleasant to be around. Consequently, angry people often alienate themselves from others—even their own families. Angry people have trouble being effective parents and spouses.

How To Live Above Anger

Seneca, a Roman philosopher-educator (4-65 A.D.), offered the following self-control techniques in his book "Of Anger"...

a. Avoid frustrating situations by noting where you got angry in the past (cf. Mt 26:41; Pr 4:14-15)

b. Reduce your anger by taking time, focusing on other emotions (pleasure, shame, or fear), avoiding weapons of aggression,and attending to other matters (cf. Phil 4:8)

c. Respond calmly to an aggressor with empathy or mild, non-provocative comments or with no response at all (cf. Pro 15:1)

d. If angry, concentrate on the undesirable consequences of becoming aggressive (cf. Ps 37:8)

1) Tell yourself: "Why give them the satisfaction of knowing you are upset?"

2) Or "It isn't worth being mad over."

e. Reconsider the circumstances and try to understand the motives or viewpoint of the other person (cf. Php 2:3-4)

f. Train yourself to be empathetic with others (cf. 2Ti 2:24-26)

1) Be tolerant of human weakness

2) Be forgiving (ask yourself if you haven't done something as bad)

3) Follow the "great lesson of mankind: to do as we would be done by" (cf. Mt 7:12)