Is there a hidden enemy in your home? Could a mysterious adversary be concealed within your family? Even though this antagonist has caused untold damage and suffering in the lives of many people throughout the world, few seem to recognize this enemy for what it is. What is this foe? It is unresolved anger.
Anger is an often-misunderstood emotion. Many misconceptions and myths masquerade as truth. It is a mistake to deny that we do get angry or to believe that getting angry is always wrong. "Angry feelings can go underground. They often don't display themselves in active forms such as hitting, pinching, throwing things, or slamming doors. They take more subtle forms like silence, irritation, resentment, bitterness, and hatred" (Anger Is a Choice, Tim LaHaye, p. 13).
Failure to properly manage or control our anger can result in disastrous consequences. "Damage to personal relationships is one of the most common costs of anger, and probably the worst. The relationships that are damaged are often your best... The most frequent targets of anger include spouses, children, coworkers, and friends" (How to Control Your Anger Before It Controls You, Albert Ellis, Ph.D., p. 3).
"Deciding to live your life with less anger may be one of the most important decisions you will ever make," Dr. Ellis wrote (p. 17). Uncontrolled and unresolved anger prevent us from healing emotionally. When we have been hurt or offended by others, God wants us to forgive and pray for the offender. Harboring our anger makes it very difficult, if not impossible, to forgive others.
(The Good News, a magazine of understanding, http://www.gnmagazine.org/gnupdate/2005/gnupdate04002005.htm)