This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. James 1:19-20
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32
An angry man stirs up strife,
And a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression. Proverbs 29:22
Anger. It is a destructive emotion that has the potential to wreak havoc on anyone or anything in its path. Recently in the United States, outside of Atlanta, Georgia, there was a recent school shooting where four people were killed and nine others injured by another student. It is still unclear what was the student’s motive to do such a heinous act. Currently, the police are investigating to figure out the student’s motive. Whatever his motive, you can rest assured that anger, resentment, and any other negative emotions, were definitely involved, which led to this minor obtaining a gun and shooting/killing others. His anger-filled rampage caused untold damage to the families, classmates/school personnel, friends, society at large, and possibly others in various parts of the world, who have heard this horrific story.
As the verses state above, as well as many others in the Bible, it is imperative that we as human beings, control our anger as well as any other powerful/negative emotion. In life there will be situations where one will become angry and upset due to events and circumstances however, what is most important is how you control your response to those emotions when they arise. No one has the right to act upon their anger to the extent that they cause bodily harm and/or physical property damage to others.
Some steps to take to diffuse your anger can be:
1. Walk away from the area that is causing you stress/anger. Change your environment.
2. Do a strenuous workout.
3. If you feel your emotions are getting out of control and that feeling is frequent, seek out professional counseling. One can call SAMHSA, #800-662-HELP (4357), 24/7 and they will gladly speak with you.
4. Journal. Write (or type if digital) everything that you’re feeling. You can express yourself however you like as it is yours and no one needs to know. However, if you express that you want to harm yourself, or others, or cause major damage, call the hotline listed above and speak to a professional.
I pray that for all of us reading this awful news as well as other devastating news happening around the world, we will vow to do the following:
· Keep the families involved in constant prayer.
· Look to champion responsible gun laws and perhaps volunteer to help in areas that can assist others in mental, emotional, and physical need.
· Look to monitor ourselves and any powerful/negative emotions we may be feeling. Seek to channel/release these emotions in healthy ways.
· If we feel our emotions are growing and seeming on the verge of being out of control, let us seek professional counseling as needed.
Please keep your anger in check. Your life and the lives of those around, you depend on it.
Blessings,
Angélique 💐
To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com