I’m realising more and more that I am a person who struggles with anger.
I think anger and its effects have been with me for most of my life. Those who know me will realise that I’m not one for emotional outbursts, shouting or violence. These are often thought of as the hallmarks of ‘angry people’. What I am more prone to, however, is shutting down, withdrawing, moodiness and sulking. These too, I am seeing more and more, are expressions of anger (and its “children”: irritation, frustration and resentment).
You see, there are many things ‘I am against’ or ‘I don’t want.’ If anger at its root is ‘against things, people and situations that harm and hurt what we love’, then I can be angry when things don’t go my way. If I want a particular thing to happen, but it doesn’t, I can be angry. And what comes from that can often be bad and destructive. Sometimes the anger can be easily and quickly gotten over. I move on. Grace prevails. There is mercy. But sometimes anger dominates my heart and leads to behaviours (and for me, a lack of speaking) that punishes myself and others. I can be sinful in my anger.
As I look at myself and see these things more clearly by God’s Spirit, I am thankful that I can be shown a different way. Anger can be constructive. It can be redeemed; it can be good. I can be rightfully angry at what is wrong and needs to be changed. I can also see where my anger is wrong and needs to be repented of.
I’m wondering if there are other angry people in the church family to which I belong?
I’m wondering if others might like to join me in looking at this more deeply?
I’m wondering if others would respond to an invitation to work through this topic, applied to the details of our own lives, so that we can more walk in step with God’s Spirit, turning away from the destructive fruits of anger and towards the productive, life giving fruit of the Spirit?
So here’s the invitation: to join me in working through the book ‘Good and Angry’ by David Powlison. This read will happen over a few months – taking our time, working it through.
“David Powlison is never simplistic. This biblically rich, psychologically insightful analysis puts anger under the microscope and shows us just how complicated it can be. It also shows us how to relate anger to the really big themes of Scripture—grace, redemption, and the restoration of all things. Read this book and see why anger matters far more than you ever thought it did. Read this book and learn how to be both angry and good.”
Steve Midgley, Executive Director, Biblical Counselling UK
You can review an excerpt of the book here
Drop me a message (zach@greenviewchurch.co.uk) if you’d like to join me.
Zach