What is anger or rage?
What are the destructive consequences of anger?
How to be free from anger?
To answer these questions, we will turn to the Bible and modern medical science.
What is anger?
According to modern medicine, anger is a feeling that has mental, psychoneurological, cardiovascular, behavioral and other manifestations.
As a rule, anger is considered to be accompanied with violent behavior, that is raising of one’s voice and acting in rage, whereas anger can also be hidden and suppressed. In the latter case, a person can become a captive to anger and conduct all their further actions out of it. Those who constantly criticize themselves or do not express their indignation and disagreement about certain things have this suppressed and unmanifested anger.
There are so many things that can cause anger: tiredness; pain; financial, social and economic problems; hunger; bad time management; failure; disappointments; unfulfilled expectations; the sense of violation of one’s self-esteem; accumulated negative emotions; female premenstrual syndrome and climacteric period; use of alcohol or certain medicines; loss of loved ones, and so on.
Now let us turn to the biblical definition of anger. “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions… those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21).
I want to remind you again the medical definition of anger, “a feeling that has mental, psychoneurological, cardiovascular, behavioral and other manifestations”. While I fully agree with this definition, I prefer the definition of the Word of God, according to which anger is an action that manifests the desire of the flesh; it also says that the person who is apt to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
We already mentioned a number of causes of anger. I want to add to all of them foolishness and pride as well. “Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools” (Eccl. 7:9). Because of pride and conceit, people consider themselves higher than others, ignore those who are close to them and arrogantly push their own desires.
We can see an example of this in the Bible, “And they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, ‘It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the Lord God.’ Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead… so they thrust him out of that place. Indeed he also hurried to get out, because the Lord had struck him. King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death.” (2 Ch. 26:18-21a).
“Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, and before honor is humility” (Pr. 18:12).
How to be free from anger?
No one can control their feelings and avoid anger all the time; so each person needs to have a renewed mentality and make up their mind to get angry on no account; moreover, never raise their voice or follow the desire of their flesh. “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Rom. 8:13). It is impossible to make such a decision in human strength; however, if you desire and pray to have the fruit of the Holy Spirit formed in you (“love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”, Gal. 5:22-23), then, when there is a cause for anger, the fruit of the Spirit will manifest instead.
Whatever situation you face, you will be led by love, kindness, meekness and longsuffering, as your inner self is already filled with them. These traits help to evaluate each situation correctly and to make an appropriate decision. You must evaluate each situation by the leading of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it seems anger or rage are inevitable, but the Holy Spirit does not even allow you to speak kindly; He commands you to be silent!
For a righteous-minded person, it is very difficult to see injustice and to keep silent; however, obedience has its fruit. The Lord has His time to speak and act. Remember David. In obedience to his father’s command, David brought food to his brothers that were in the battlefield. Once there, he heard Goliath defying the Israelites. Seeing the people running in fear, David inquired what would be done to the one who would kill Goliath and would take the reproach off from Israel. His elder brother Eliab overheard David speaking with the people and got angry at him. “Why did you come down here?.. I know your pride and the insolence of your heart…” (1 Sam. 17:28). David did not try to speak kindly to his brother or to justify himself; he did not get angry or offended either. He was focused on the most important task, namely eliminating the threat of defiance. And with the help of the Lord, he killed Goliath (see 1 Sam. 17:51).
In some instances, the Lord gives a word and leads to wise actions to prevent acts of lawlessness. Remember Mordecai. Haman, driven by his anger and pride, not only wanted to kill Mordecai, but to wipe out the whole Jewish nation as well. Mordecai did not answer him back with anger; nor he presented himself to the King to remind him that years ago, he had prevented a conspiracy against him. He wisely evaluated the situation, after which he gave orders to Queen Esther and led the people to a three-day fasting and prayer. His trust was on God the Creator Who keeps the eternity in His hands.
As a result of seeing the situation correctly and doing corresponding actions, insolent and defying Haman was hanged on the very gallows, which he prepared for Mordecai in his rage. Due to evaluating the situation correctly and relying on the Lord, Mordecai not only saved his nation, but also was honored with glory and greatness (see the Book of Esther).
The Bible contains clearer and plainer advice on this subject, “But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition…” (2 Tim. 2:23-25). Of course, not everyone gives their ears to hearing. If so, you must not “cast your pearls before swine”; you simply need to leave.
You must remember that people are different in character, in mentality and in the way they respond to the situations of life, and that you are not the one called to change them, especially if they do not understand the requirements placed on them and the reason they are to obey them. There is a wonderful advice, “If you cannot change the situation, change your attitude.” This will help you not to get angry, especially taking into account that no person on the earth has ever changed because of an angry treatment, loud tone of voice or disrespectful words.
Anger or rage are dangerous not only for the one who gets angry, but also for the person to whom they are directed. The angry person might calm down later, but their disrespectful words will keep the other person offended for a long time. For this reason, it is written, “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Mt. 5:23-24).
Because of anger, many wonderful plans remain incomplete. Because of an attitude of disrespect, refusal to accommodate and lack of love and patience, the parties involved in a mutual work quarrel, become angry at one another and give place to division. As a result, a wonderful plan, which would bring happiness to many, falls.
In order to avoid anger, one needs to evaluate the situation by the Spirit of God and perform constructive actions, which means to treat the other person the way they would like to be treated themselves.
Sometimes a person gives exhortations or instructions to another one for days, months or years, but then notices, that they still do everything as before, as if nothing was said to them. In such a case, you must not get angry, but this also does not mean that you need to keep your relationships on the same level and stay a captive to the one who constantly repeats the same mistake. You are to come to a wise conclusion and to get to constructive actions with those who are ready to cooperate with you.
And if this person is your family member (your husband, your child, etc.), cast your cares upon God. Only He can fix the situation through your intercessory prayers. “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26).
Why you must not get angry
You must not get angry, as anger brings destruction to the inner world of a person and steals their creativity.
According to the medical science, anger can lead to cardiovascular diseases, tumors, gluttony, and depression; it can cause insomnia and raise the level of adrenaline and other bioactive substances in the blood.
According to the Bible, those who are apt to anger “will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21).
Those who are wise will be able to uproot the causes of anger by following the leading of God’s Spirit and demonstrating a constructive character, because “anger rests in the bosom of fools” (Eccl. 7:9).