By Andrea Merrell
Anger.
It’s something we’re all familiar with to some degree. For me, it was a problem I dealt with on a daily basis for years—not understanding why, and not
realizing how it was affecting me and those around me.
Everything seemed to make me angry. I was a
volcano looking for place to erupt. There were skeletons in my emotional closet
that continually rattled, reminding me of past hurts, betrayals, and
failures. Those dry bones caused resentment and sent me into a tirade. This went on so long
that anger and resentment became my default, causing me to respond in a
negative way, no matter how hard I tried not to.
Even when trying to overcome this hateful, harmful
behavior by stuffing it deep inside, it was doing more harm than I could
imagine.
This is what pastor and author Bob Gass says about
the subject:
Doctors say resentment
eats at your stomach lining, attacks your immune system, and predisposes you to
heart problems, cancers, and other physical, social, and emotional disorders.
And that’s not all. It preoccupies your mind, drains your energy, and cripples
your creativity. It strains your fellowship with God, your family and friends,
as well as denying your offender an opportunity to clear their
conscience and make things right with God and with you. Until you deal with the
issue, you’ll drag it around like a ball and chain.
No matter how you slice and dice it, anger and
resentment are born from selfishness. Just like a child, this is how we respond
when we don’t get our way. These emotions are also, as God
showed me, a choice. We can make a conscious decision to react in anger or
respond in love. Love acts; it does not react. When I finally took responsibility for my actions and made the choice to put
away anger and walk in love, God set me free.
If you’re battling with anger issues, take them to
the Lord and ask for His help. Make the decision to put away resentment and
walk in God’s peace. Don’t allow these harmful emotions to wreck your mind,
your body, or your relationships.
(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.)
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