Anger and The Art of Forgiveness

Have you ever found yourself so angry that you began to shake violently or you wanted to hit or throw something? Anger can be violent and very disruptive to your life, as well as, those around you.

For when we hold built up anger against others or ourselves, it lingers and tends to grow into a full-blown pity party and you seem to fly off the handle at the little things in life.

Let’s see what scripture has to say:

Ephesians 4:31, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice”.

Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger”.

Proverbs 16:32, “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty…”.

Let those scriptures sink in. Repeat them. They sure say a lot, don’t they? But why would it be so important for God to tell us these things within the Bible?

Because, He knows that this is not a simple task for us. Our human nature tends to hold onto grudges. We like to think that if we treat the individual differently, they will feel our pain or if they can sense our anger towards them, they’ll get the point. However, nothing could be further from the truth.

When we have a quick temper or say something that we shouldn’t, then it tends to fester as guilt and becomes a vicious cycle. When we hold onto pain, anger and unforgiveness; all it does is cause sickness and unhappiness within our own lives. We are clearly told in Colossians 3:13, that we should “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you so you must forgive others.”

Now, we all know that we are not perfect and we certainly make mistakes. There was only one perfect person that ever existed and that was Jesus. So, the best thing we can do is learn how to control anger and learn the art of forgiveness, His way. It is imperative that we make HIM a big part of the equation. It is completely for our benefit, not for anyone else.

The absolute best thing you can do when you find yourself angry or unwilling to forgive is to STOP YOUR THOUGHTS AND HOLD YOUR TONGUE. Immediately, ask God to help you overcome the situation, release it to Him for transformation and ask for Him to fill you with peace that surpasses all understanding. It is also best to hold your tongue rather than to regret your words later. For it is written that the power of the tongue brings life or death.(Proverbs 18:21)

Word of Caution…the more you attempt to release things to God, the more negative thoughts you will encounter. Do not allow yourself to relive the situation over and over again. Just keep stopping the thoughts, ask God to take them off your shoulders and to be filled with His peace.

Let me emphasis that I have experienced all of this and it is not an easy task. However, I promise that if you stand against your opposition by giving it all over to God and filling your mouth with praises for Him…you will notice that the burdens begin to lift and your anger, pain and frustration will subside. Things will begin to roll off your back and you won’t sweat the small stuff either. God is bigger than any problem, that I can guarantee you!