Week Two - Anger or Everyone Feels It

 “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath,

Do not fret; it only causes harm” Psalm 37:8 NKJV

     This verse is much easier read and studied, than acted upon and accomplished.     

Anger comes in many forms as mentioned in the scripture above. I can testify that I was angry at my husband for leaving me and our daughter. I was angry at the lack of communication.  I was angry at my inability to repair the damage done by fear and insecurities. I was angry at my inadequacies as wife and mother. I was angry at him for not trying harder, longer, better, whatever it took to restore our marriage. I was angry at God, for not answering my prayers the way I wanted. I was angry with my family for still saying they loved my soon-to-be ex. That was like a Judas betrayal to me. They could still love him, but to tell me was like a slap in the face, and I wasn't certain whose side of the fence they were on.

     Degrees of anger oozed through me. The waves of ooze were sometimes slow, steady and constant. At other times the waves were fast, fierce and drowning. I have drowned in my anger. Not the way to go, I assure you.

     So how did I deal with it? I wish I could say I did one episode at a time, one situation at a time, and one person at a time, but that is not true. Most of the time I was a composite of various angers and it would slosh from one situation to the next situation. Not good. Not good at all. It took months to begin untangling the roots and sources and causes of my various angers, and then to address each one.

     I had an awesome counselor who kept telling me to ask and answer the hard questions. What was I really angry about? Who was I angry at and why? Had I prayed about it? Was I ready to get past it? Was I ready to forgive? That last question is a significant one, but even more important is talking with God about your anger and listening for His response. Slowly, God and I untangled the various angers. Slowly, God and I addressed them, and ever so slowly, consistently, faithfully, God helped me to forgive. Remember last week's topic? It takes time, but God will work with you in dealing with the anger.