A warning about anger

9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this. Ecclesiastes 7:9-10

Anger is not good, but uncontrolled anger is the worse of all types of anger. There are many books written about anger and how to control it. In my own library I own the following counseling books:

Anger is a choice

Uprooting Anger

The Heart of Anger

The reason there are so many books about anger, is there are many people who have anger issues. The Bible tells us we can be angry but the key is not to sin in our anger. (Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:)

Solomon tells us that anger rests in the bosom (within) of fools. I do not want to be a fool. There are many times I was a fool with uncontrolled and very foolish anger. What does God’s word say about anger?

Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. Psalm 37:8 

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. Proverbs 15:1 

A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. Proverbs 15:18 

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city. Proverbs 16:32 

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: Ephesians 4:31 

An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression. Proverbs 29:22 

Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: Proverbs 22:24 

I Googled the word anger, 43,000,000 sites with the word anger came up. Wow! Do you think people today have a problem with anger?

Some of the titles of the sites were:

Controlling anger

Anger management

Taking charge of anger

What is anger?

Strategies for Controlling Anger

National Anger management association

Here are some quotes that should make one think before letting anger get the upper hand.

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned. ~ Buddha.

Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will ever regret. ~ Ambrose Bierce.

For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

      

 Anger dwells only in the bosom of fools. ~ Albert Einstein (Ecc. 7:9)

Whenever anger comes up, take out a mirror and look at yourself. When you are angry, you are not very beautiful. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind. ~ Robert Green Ingersoll

Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured. ~ Mark Twain

Anger is not new but it is certainly something we need to control. Anger is a problem in the world today both in Christian and non-Christians circles. As Christians we do have the answer but the question is: What are we going to do about it?

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. Psalm 103:8 

Have a blessed day,
Donna