You don’t have to look very hard these days to find someone who’s angry. Anger is everywhere and we’re becoming quicker to fly off the handle for increasingly smaller issues. So today, we’re tackling the topic of anger. We examine our triggers and get honest about our need to heal old wounds. We discuss how anger affects not only our relationships – but ourselves. Anger is a takeover emotion, a boomerang, and an emotional check engine light. Let’s dig in, get to the root, and heal – so we can start spreading peace to counteract everyone else’s rage.
Things to Remember From Today’s Podcast:
I jumped out of the gate with one of my favorite passages that deals with anger, James 1:19-20:
“Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage.“
Anger is a boomerang. (It comes right back to you!)
I love what Ecclesiastes 7:9 has to say about anger. “Don’t be quick to fly off the handle. Anger boomerangs.”
Anger is often linked to control. But, remember that the things we are not in control over, often make us lose control of the last things we CAN control – our attitude, happiness, and response!
We are capable of ruining our own day. (Read that again.)
When you are in that angry mental “hot zone” – your brain actually bypasses rational and logical thought! It’s not the time to speak, make decisions, (post on social media), etc.
Ladies – bandaids are great, but it’s time to get in there and rip out your emotional bullets. You can’t heal until you get to the root issue. Figure out the WHY of your anger. The bath and the chat with the friend are great stop-gap measures, but we need to heal.
Your emotions are like a physical check-engine light for your body. They let you know something is going on.
Anger is easy – and masquerades as more difficult emotions in disguise. (Ie – it’s easier to say, “I’m mad!” than it is to say, “My feelings are hurt.”)
We can start to heal the world when we start to heal ourselves.
Questions to Ponder:
Are you listening to understand, or to make your next point?
When you react in anger, what is your endgame? What are you trying to accomplish?
If your angry response does happen to work – what is the cost?
How is your anger affecting those around you?
How do angry people affect you?
Is what you’re feeling actually anger, or is it something else? Fear? Shame? Unhealed issues?
What are your anger triggers? Do they have something in common?
How would living out James 1:19-20 change you? Change your relationships? Change culture?
You can read my post, “Anger is a Boomerang” from my Chasing Supermom blog.
Syd and I both really enjoyed the book, Cleaning up Your Mental Mess by Dr. Carolyn Leaf. Highly recommended!
Having a bad day? Australia calling your name? Check out Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day!
