Focusing On Forgiveness Does Help With Anger (By Sonja C Burketh)

No matter how much we would like to live in peace and harmony with others everyday of our life it's just not going to happen. Eventually we will encounter a circumstance or situation that will test our ability to properly handle anger. Ongoing issues will make this even more of challenge.

Unresolved anger will hold you mentally captive which makes breaking free extremely difficult.

I have been challenged tremendously in this area. And I have failed the anger test more times than I have passed. One of the main reasons for my consistent failure was due to placing too much emphasis on trying to make the person understand how they were causing me to be angry. And when apologies or change in their behavior toward me did not happen quick enough it hurt even more which in turn caused me to be more angry.

My approach to handling anger did not work out too well. Out of necessity I had to find a different one.

"Make allowance for each others faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others". Colossians 3:16 New Living Translation

My new approach in dealing with anger now involves the practicing of forgiving quicker no matter what the situation may be.

This new approach has by no means been easy. From the very beginning the realization that I needed help was painfully apparent. I required divine help from God which meant I had to become brutally honest in my prayers. First confessing I had a real problem with harboring anger. This was a very hard confession to make being that I for one did not see myself as one that could harbor angry. Nevertheless my actions when faced with a situation that made me angry said something entirely different.

I'm liking this new approach in dealing with anger much better than the old. Although at times I have hit some rough spots the sense of release I feel is better than carrying around the weight of anger. Now I'm compelled to keep at it. Trusting that the more effort I put towards forgiving others, just as much as God has forgiven me, the more strength and courage He will provide me when I need to forgive.

I'm looking forward to the day when forgiveness is more of an automatic response. Until then I will keep working at it and believing that by the grace of God one day it will be.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Focusing-On-Forgiveness-Does-Help-With-Anger&id=7947137