Confronting Anger During Crisis
Crisis is never easy but coupled with feelings of anger equals a double whammy. You are facing a monumental moment in time, where anger is at the forefront for many reasons. Perhaps you lost a love one, or you lost your job, or even worse your lost both. Rightfully, you should be angry, but how you handle that anger will determine how you fare, either for the better or for the worse. This bit of advice will leave you with practical strategies to confront and manage anger so that your spirit, body and mind fare for the better.
Your spirit is angry and how do you manage the anger when you are dealing with loss? First, God gives specific instructions on how to manage anger. Biblical text provides instruction found in Proverbs 16 verse 32 “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty”. Stop for a minute and think about why you are angry. Once you identify why you are angry you are better off than reacting to your anger without thinking first.
Take the time to pray and ask God to release the anger and then write down on a piece of paper the reason for the anger. While writing continue to pray for release and once that anger is released on paper, tear the paper up releasing the anger for good. If your anger surfaces again, repeat the previous steps, thereby allowing yourself to cast your burden on God.
Now that you have cast your burden on God, some of you may also experience the detrimental side effects of anger to your body. Anger can increase your blood pressure, cause a fight or flight response, lead to chest pain, a heart attack or stroke. This may be an exaggeration for some individuals. However, if you are already challenged with chronic disease you are more at risk for your body to respond negatively to your feeling of anger.
Stop for a moment and take some deep breaths, put on some relaxing music such as a favorite Gospel song. One that comes to mind is William Murphy’s “You are My Strength”! As you are breathing, envision yourself in a quiet place where everything is alright. During the deep breathing your heart rate begins to slow down, your body muscles begin to relax, and you mind becomes clearer because of the increased oxygen to every cell that fortifies your spirit and body.
What a joy it is to have a clear mind. However, anger can cloud your mind and cause you to respond to that anger negatively. Using the suggested strategies: acknowledging your anger, writing why you are angry down on paper, then tearing that anger up and casting your burden on God. In addition to, deep breathing and listening to your favorite Gospel song, while going to a quiet place will equally provide the atmosphere to clear your mind.
Remember God’s specific instruction on anger, be slow to anger. Why? Because it allows you to be grounded in your spirit, which in turns relaxes your body, leading to a relaxed mind. Take control of your anger and do not under any circumstance allow anger to control you. These practical strategies during crisis will enable you to manage your loss through grounding of your spirit, body and mind.
