Anger!
A
series looking at theological, psychological, emotional, social and relational
aspects of that thing frequently called, “temper.”
(All of this material is borrowed, adapted, or built upon the work of many
others over the decades of my clinical and pulpit ministry. I have made
attribution wherever I have been able to remember the source. I do not intend to
portray in any way that any of this is original with me. Although not original,
it has been powerfully instructive to me in my continual personal struggles with
anger. jh)
Primary
to our understanding of anger from a theological perspective will be the
evaluation of where anger is to be assigned.
Do
we assign anger to the “fall?”
Or,
do we assign anger to “creation?”
Genesis
4:3-7 The story of Cain.
When
did Cain sin?
What
does the book of Proverbs say about anger and angry people?
Does
it say that anger is sin?
The
relationship between anger and sin:
Phrases
necessary for adequate determination of our state of relationship between
anger/sin:
‘without cause’
‘who harbors malice’
‘who keeps on being angry’
Is
anger an attribute of God?
Mark
3:1-5 The story of the man with a shriveled hand.
Three
thoughts generally assumed by lots of Christians:
Jesus was sinless.
The Bible is accurate.
Anger is sinful.
Can
you ‘hold’ all three of these without ambiguity?
A
paradox: Anger ‘theology’ as a means of control/power.
Dogma
dictums are common in environments of concentrated authority.
(What about Galileo’s trials?)
Does
one for whom the exercise of power for the sake of control tend to exhibit anger
when control is slipping away?
II. Anger:
The emotional component of anxiety
In
the face of perceived threats…
Implicit
theology:
Explicit
theology:
Is
this statement a reflection of implicit or explicit theology: ‘Anger is
sinful.’?
Is
anger antithetical to love?
Two
emotional responses the traditional church treated as sin over the centuries:
anger and sexuality. Why do you suppose…?
Is
it possible for anger to be productive without being destructive?
Can
anger ever bring righteousness?
III. Anger, fear and anxiety
Back
to the story of Cain and Abel: Genesis 4:2-8.
Anger
frequently comes from either a perception of threat or from a stage of anxiety
or frustration.
We
experience mobilization of anger in a variety of ways:
So,
WHY do we get angry?
Trained
responses; overt and covert.
“We
have nothing to fear but fear itself.” F.D.R.
Afraid
of fear?
Afraid
of anger?
Why
will most women react to a man’s anger instead of the cause of the anxiety?
Fear
is generally a destructive force.
Are
there Biblical illustrations of God or Jesus experiencing fear?
Are
there Biblical illustrations of God or Jesus experiencing anger?
Which
appears to be more Biblical – indicting someone for being angry; or,
venerating someone who is fearful and timid?
What
relationship does fear have to anxiety?
What
relationship does fear have to anger?
What
differences can you come up with in the way we respond to fear through anxiety;
through anger?
When
and how was Jesus mobilized by anger?
Is there a
difference between ‘righteous anger’ and having an ‘angry spirit?’
James 1:19-21
IV.
TYPES OF ANGER
Text:
Psalms 55
Was
David ‘upset’ or was he ‘angry’ in these verses?
Let’s
look at the destructive forces we can define through verse 11.
If
anger is pushed down or to the back pocket of our mind, it becomes hidden to us
– although not necessarily to other.
Hiding
anger isn’t dealing with anger.
We
no longer have control over anger that is hidden.
If
we don’t have control over anger we cannot use it creatively.
Hidden
anger sabotages good character and its traits:
(examples)
Love - sabotaged – hate
Grace – sabotaged – punishment
Reconciliation – sabotaged – alienation
Forgiveness – sabotaged – vengeance
Hope – sabotaged – despair
Why
are ‘Christians’ so reluctant to admit feelings of despair, vengeance,
alienation, etc.?
Does
it have anything to do with their reluctance to admit anger and resentment?
Let’s
identify types of anger so we can recognize our own situations:
1)
INTROJECTED ANGER
2)
DISPLACED ANGER
3)
INDIRECT ANGER
4)
PROJECTED ANGER
These next three are closely related:
5)
HOSTILY-RELATED SELF
6)
VIOLENT SELF
7)
STOREHOUSE ANGER
V.
ANGER:
THREATS TO SELF
Proverbs
14.17
Titus
1.7
Quick
reaction
Control
Concrete
A
fragile ego and a perimeter defense…
“THE
RAGE WITHIN: ANGER IN MODERN LIFE” by Willard Gaylin
“…nine
threats to self”
SEPARATION
DISAPPROVAL
REJECTION
INADEQUACY/FAILURE
DEPRIVATION
BETRAYAL
HUMILIATION
EXPLOITATION/MANIPULATION
INJUSTICE/UNFAIRNESS
Let’s
look at these threats to self in two ways:
1)
INTERNAL THREATS
2)
EXTERNAL THREATS
Are
these just words?
Logic
Relative
Absolute
Ideas
Values
Beliefs
Doctrines
Philosophies
Concepts
The threats come
frequently through guilt or shame.
Guilt
and conscience
Shame
and ideal self
Forgiveness
Fraud
Internal
and external threats are divided into three main categories:
1)
physical
2)
social
3)
psychological
We take
to the battle when it’s perceived as ours.
Is
God without defense that He needs my hostility as His front line? How puny is
God?
What
is accomplished in our angry responses to the things assailing our ideas, our
social system, our goods and properties?
Are
you in the category of one with a fragile ego…do you find yourself, your
ideas, your way of life being threatened with alarming regularity?
VI.
ANGER: HOW TO DEAL WITH IT!
James
1.19-26
A.N.G.E.R.
– an acrostic (author unknown)
A
– awareness
N
– name it
G
– gain insight
E
– express it creatively
R
- responsibility
1)
God’s personality is
well-balanced…He isn’t prone to the shades of neurosis or psychosis that
frequently cause us to think we are threatened.
2) When we are ‘upset’ over something ‘unfairly’ happening to
us, it just might be that we ARE angry with God.
3)
And then there is
frustration…
4)
There are times when our anger isn’t with God, but with people or situations.
5) Our anger at ‘situations’ is usually an anger with people, maybe even ourselves. We generally don’t recognize it and pick a target.
From:
CONFRONTARE