Earlier this year, I facilitated a Bible Study for women dealing with anger. We read A Woman’s Answer To Anger by: Annie Chapman and watched several sermons by: Dr. S. M. Davis over the course of the study. Chapman shares personal stories and incorporates scripture throughout her message of how to let go of anger. The study questions were really helpful for our group discussions.

In the introduction The Answer To Anger, the author shares Proverbs 10:7 “The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.” Referring to after she has passed away she asks the questions, “What will my family remember about me? What are the words they will use to describe me?” She points out that “anger can be a vicious destroyer of one’s good memory in the minds of others.” I want my children and others to remember me as someone who lived her life for Christ and strived to be a Proverbs 31 woman. A year and a half ago, they would probably have said that I am controlling, angry, and bitter. Chapman suggests that “sometimes we choose anger as an alternative to other emotions. Anger can feel more manageable than grief or sadness.” This is true for me. When I am angry I don’t feel as hurt by the person who wronged me. Instead, I can hurt them with my anger. When I cry, I feel hurt, broken, and weak. I would rather feel in control with my anger. I almost always default to anger. It isn’t until I have nothing left that I actually break down and cry it out. Although those previously mentioned adjectives could be used to describe me today; I am now actively working on my struggle with anger. I pray that in the near future those adjectives will completely be removed from my character description.

In the first chapter of the book Starting Down The Road From Rage, Chapman gives her testimony of how she came to know Christ and a little bit about her journey from anger. Then she says,

“For some of us, the road from rage may be a simple procedure, like the extraction of a tooth. The pain is real, but comparatively minimal and quickly resolved. However, for others, the healing requires much more work form hands of “The Great Physician.” And, it requires a great deal more from the patient. Seeking God to discover where the rage started, identifying the offending people who must be forgiven (or asked for forgiveness), confessing the sin to God, forsaking it, and going about the hard work of reprogramming the thought processes are all part of the procedure… But, is it easy? Absolutely not! Battling thought patterns, humbling ourselves and dying to the human pride that got us to the point of trying to live independently from God, and receiving His grace to deal with the predicament are never easy.”

I cannot remember a specific major event which started me on the anger cycle of my life. But, I can think of several things that have happened to me that caused me to respond in anger over the years. In this chapter, Chapman refers to Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” This is a wonderful reminder for me. Anything bad in my life caused by others or that I caused because of my anger; God can work together for good. He can use those things to bring glory to himself. Each of those things are just a small piece of the much bigger picture! When we recognize that important truth; then we can start to move along the path of healing.

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A Woman’s Answer To Anger has been retitled.  It is now called:

Letting Go of Anger: How to Get Your Emotions Under Control

By Annie Chapman / Harvest House Publishers

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I would love to hear your thoughts and stories if you have ever dealt with anger in your life!

Please feel free to comment on my posts and/or e-mail me at: hearttreasurescontact@yahoo.com

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You can find links to all posts in this series on the Anger Series Index page.