I Want to Overcome Anger

For many people the title of this article conveys an objective of little interest. In our society, and all too often in the church, people wish to excuse, justify, or even promote anger, not overcome it. Their rationale may sound reasonable: 

• “Anger is natural.” 
• “It is healthy to vent your anger instead of hold it in.” 
• “He/she needs to know how I feel.” 
• “God was angry at times.”

I have warned against anger in my blog because anger is a real problem and God is not fond of anger. In fact, “the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” (James 1:20)

So, if you embrace anger as acceptable, that is an obstacle. If anger is excused, justified, and/or advocated, only one outcome is to be expected: anger. Where anger is accepted and expected, there will be little or no effort for self-control. To overcome this obstacle, you must first adopt a different view of anger so that it is no longer valued, rather, you must value self-control.

Anger is an emotion that perceives an inequity in life and then reacts to it with passion. The perceived inequity may be personal or may be something half-way around the world. The passion within one’s spirit flares up to say, “It should not be this way!” That perception may or may not be correct. When I allow the passion of my spirit to take control, I set myself up as judge and jury...in place of God! That’s why God warned, “Vengeance is mine!” To overcome anger, I must trust that God is just and will bring ultimate justice in the end. For now, I must accept that there will be inequities in this life.

When I perceive that an inequity has occurred and my passions flare, what can I do? In some (many) cases, there is nothing I can do, such as in the case of injustices in places where I do not live. That is the kind of injustice I must give over to God in prayer. Continual anxiety and anger over uncontrollable injustices will only harm myself.

When things are more personal, the passions of the human spirit are often self-asserting and destructive. My spirit may tell my soul to lash out with words or become physical. However, “a harsh word stirs up anger.” In other words, anger produces anger. (Is that really a surprise?) 

When a person asserts himself in anger, he will at the same time devalue others. Jesus taught that very thing in Matthew 5:21-22 and showed that devaluing others opposes righteousness. In great contrast is the beatitude: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Peacemakers value people; anger-makers do not. Anger-makers are not sons of God.

Do you want to overcome anger?

• You must first make it your soul’s desire to overcome anger.
• Stop embracing the myths of our society.
• Accept God’s justice. Injustices may exist now, but in the end God will bring justice.
• Take control of the passions of your spirit. Your soul, the YOU inside of you, CAN control the passions of your spirit. Self-control, not anger, is a fruit of the Spirit of God.
• Make prayer the solution to uncontrollable injustices in the world. Let God be God.
• Do not devalue people. Recognize that our enemy is not flesh and blood, but powers and wickedness that are not of this world.
• Stop making life’s unfairness about YOU. Anger is rooted in YOUR perceptions. YOU are not always right. YOU are not as competent a judge as God. Stop being selfish.
• Consider being a peacemaker as a core value. “A gentle answer turns away anger."

If you are serious about overcoming anger, remember, God's Spirit is given to assist us as we follow Jesus. Ask for help.

Mark Stinnett

September 22, 2024