Harnessing Anger: Transforming a Powerful Emotion for Good

Can Anger Be Good for us? I used to get angry a lot.  This was especially true when I was very young.  In fact I got to the point that I would get so frustrated that I would hit the wall. 

One day I hit the door jam so hard that I bruised my wrist.  It hurt for a week.  I realized that I could have broken it.  This was a wake-up call to me.  Why?  Because it hurt!  And when we hurt, that’s when we do something about it.  I chose to stop getting that angry, and turn my anger towards something that I could do that would positively affect what caused the anger in the first place.

Most agree, Anger is Bad

There was a movie that came out several years ago.  It was called Anger Management and starred Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson.  You can imagine that is quite the match-up.  Nicholson is a master at getting Sandler (who has the anger problem) very angry and causing more problems than he, as the therapist solves…or so we are led to believe. 

In the beginning, it appears that Sandler has no anger issues and is basically a good and quiet man with his anger in check.  He was placed there because he had been wrongly accused and it upset him, which put him in this program.

The point here is that everyone can get angry if pushed far enough, so does that make it a natural, God-given response?  Jesus got angry too, and we’ll explore that later in this post.

The second point of this movie is interesting.  There is a difference between anger and assertiveness, which are two things that many of us get confused about at times.  Just because someone is being assertive, does not necessarily mean they are angry.  The two can exist independently.

The other point the movie makes is that some individuals who really dislike arguing and “making waves” will become stoic and passive aggressive overtime because they do not express their anger in healthy ways.  Or, even worse, they stop caring.  This is where huge problems come in with our mental health, and because of this, please be aware.

So, Can Some Anger be good?  And, is it controllable?

The short answer, is yes; however, this comes with some caveats.  Webster’s Dictionary from 1941 defines anger as “excessive emotion or passion aroused by a sense of injury or wrong.”

[I have to insert something here.  Definitions are constantly being updated and changed. This means the “latest” definition can no longer be trusted.  You want the TRUE meaning of words. I highly recommend that you get yourself an old (prior to 2008) dictionary from a Thrift Store somewhere and use it.  Do not use the most recent definition because they are inaccurate…especially on search engines and the new AI resources.  It is very scary.]

Back to my point, if you take this definition and apply it to our lives, anger becomes very important.  So much so that we actually need anger to keep us intact.  And, yes, it is controllable.

Basically, if you are wronged you should get angry and come back with a response.  In fact, at this point truth should be your weapon of choice.  It is important to keep your response kind but firm.  It goes without saying that it should be non-violent.

Anger Causes Action

If people never got angry, there would be no change in the world.  This in an important distinction.  Anger is just one of many different emotions in this world.  Injustice can spark anger which leads to action.

To go back to the original point, and to bring this home to us, you and I.  In our everyday world, it is anger at ourselves or at others that causes us to react and to live in the truth that is Jesus Christ and ignite action.  We can no longer sit on the sidelines and watch as others do things that are counter to God.  We must get angry about this and speak up every day. 

This gets me back to my original story where I used to get so mad I hit a wall. That was when I was young. Today, my anger is the reason I started this website. I am angry that they took Christianity out of the schools, and I am angry that so many kids have mental health issues that they try to self-medicate with food and whatever drug that big pharma throws at us to “fix” our mental health issues.

Anger Can be Good When Channeled to Positive Action

We who see the wrongs and injustices as described in the definition, must learn to speak up. This website is designed to help you do that.

As I mentioned earlier, being passive aggressive or just remaining silent, will cause two major issues.  One, all that anger can build and build inside of you until you blow your stack.  This usually happens at the worst possible time with the worst person or can cause a semi-violent response.  Or, two, you stop caring.  This is almost worse.  This is not normal for we humans.  We like a good debate.  It can be fun and get our blood flowing so long as we respect each other’s right to their opinion.

The Biblical Take on Anger

“There must be anger in the Christian life, but it must be the right kind of anger,” says William Barclay in his book The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians Daily Bible Study when referencing Ephesians 4:25-32.  In this Barclay references lying and truth.  He says “It is more from carelessness about truth than from intentional lying, that there is so much falsehood in the world.  Truth demands a deliberate effort.  There is also the lie of silence, and maybe it is even more common…It may be that we withhold warning or rebuke when we know quite well we should have given it.”  And this is where the anger issues come in.

He further states “A body can function healthily only when each part of it passes true messages to the brain.  There must be anger in the Christian life, but it must be the right kind of anger…The world would have lost much without the blazing anger of William Wilberforce against the slave trade…”

“There is a place for the tiger in life; and when the tiger becomes a tabby cat, something is lost.” Barclay

The truth is, the United States of America was founded because “we the people..” became angry.

Jesus got angry at the debacle that was going on inside the temple when he cleared the tables and the money changers not once, but this is mentioned twice.  Matthew 21:12-13 and John 2:13-25.  More than once John the Baptist called the Pharisees a “brood of vipers” in Matthew 3.

Anger and its True Definition

This is why it is so important to understand the true definition of anger. If you have anger issues that are not tied to “a sense of injury or injustice” then chances are you do need to rein it in.  But, if you have anger issues that stem from the injustices you see or feel from others, then chances are you should refer back to the section on “The Biblical take on Anger” above in this article, and stand in your truth. 

I realize this takes courage. God called me to this, and I fought it in my heart because it is hard to stand in truth. But, in the end, it is actually easier than trying to live with the injustices we see because that causes so much heartache and pain over time for us.

Do not become a liar by lying by omission (not speaking up).  Instead, learn to speak truth to injustice.  Granted one person’s injustice, is another person’s justice.  For instance, many have completely opposing views on things and feel justified in what they believe.  The problem here is this.  Do they continually read their Bible, worship, study and praise God?  Then chances are they should understand justice; if, however; they do not, then my guess is their thinking is twisted.

Wrapping this All Up

You have to use your own Bible-informed discernment to be able to truly tell if anger is warranted.  If you feel your life or health is threatened in any way because of your or someone else’s anger then I believe you are justified in your thinking, and I encourage you to reach out for help.  However, if your anger stems from an injustice, then it could be a normal, healthy reaction, and I encourage you to use that to make a change in your life or the life of those you love.

Be wise, use your Bible and I encourage you to study your Bible.  It will help. It will give you courage, and it will give you a place to channel your anger.

If you truly want to change yourself, your loved ones, and any injustices you see then this is a great place to start. Here are two wonderful Bible Studies + Reflection that can help you find answers.

The Peace of God Bible Study + Reflection  

And  Spiritual Growth Bible Study + Reflection + Journal 

Get yours today.

You can easily help others. If you like this post, please like and comment. Also, visit another great article called Guilt and Shame Fiendish Stepsister here.

“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”  Ephesians 4:26-27