This weeks emotion is anger. Anger is an emotion that we’ve all felt before. We all know the things that make us angry, from the little everyday annoyances and inconveniences, to the things that will trigger an Incredible Hulk like rage in us.
The Bible has a lot to say about anger, but not all of it is what you might seem. Take this verse for example:
In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry. Ephesians 4:26
The Bible doesn’t shy away from the fact that we will be angry sometimes, it doesn’t tell us to push that feeling away or to bury it deep down and ignore it. Instead it gives us advice n how to manage our anger so that we don’t end up getting out of control and hurting ourselves and others.
We know that for some things in life, anger is the proper and right response. Anger is another warning sign emotion, it warns us that there’s something not right going on. Whether that’s a big injustice against a group of people, or when we feel our boundaries are being ignored, anger can help us to see when we need to protect something. However, as with all our emotions, we need to make sure that we stay in control, we must be careful to not let our anger become like a raging fire that burns us up and scorches everyone around us. It can become like a volcano, sometimes buried under the surface only to erupt and explode causing damage to everything around it.
So, it’s important for us to know what triggers anger in us, and what we can do in those situations where we can feel it bubbling up.
This week’s worksheet uses that image of a volcano to help us think about the ways our anger can build up. Down the length of the page we have different stages of anger:
Calm, Irritated, Angry, Explosive.
And across the top we have two sections.
1: What does this feeling feel like? How does my body feel when I experience this? (Am I tense when I’m angry? Do I feel full of energy? Do I get restless when irritated? Does my anger drain me and make me tired? Do I get tearful when I’m angry? Do I want to withdraw and hide away?)
2: What are some helpful things I can do when I feel this way? (Do I need to give myself some time and some space away from a situation? Do I need to move my body around and use dance or exercise to help use that energy well? Are there some steps I can take to help fight an injustice in the world to help make a situation better? Is there someone I can talk to about this feeling? Can I pray and ask for God’s help?)
Use the sheet to think about what anger feels like for you at each of the different stages. Remember that anger can sometimes be the right response, but what is important is how we control and use our anger, instead of our anger controlling us. Let’s use our anger to help us make a positive difference to our own lives, the lives of others and to the world we live in.