All humans can become angry due to different events in life. This could be due to trauma, tragedy, injustice, bullying, forgiveness and all manner of things. It is unhealthy to bottle up this anger and suppress it . Instead it is wise to find a healthy way to feel and release this anger so that it will not continue to “eat away’ inside of us.
Here are some healthy ways to release and let go of unsuppressed anger:-
1. Talk to God about it. You can express how you honestly feel (even if it may sound ugly). Writing your feelings down in a journal like a “letter to God” can be a good idea. It is then in a way “physically” out of your system. It can also stop you from churning the same thing over and over again in your head. It can also stop your mind from wandering to other things like what to cook for dinner or when to pick up the dry cleaning etc).
2. Talk to a close friend or mature person about your true feelings if they are willing to listen. If you find this a bit challenging face to face, again you can write all your feelings down and allow the trusted friend to read what you have written silently. This friend can then pray that you can let all this go and give it to God for healing.
3. If it is hard to find a trusted friend see a professional Christian counselor to share your feelings , to release any pent up anger. It is good to tell the counselor up front of your intention to “let go of your anger” so that you will actually fulfill your purpose with them.
4. For non believers it is still healthy to write down all your negative feelings in a journal, or talk to a trusted friend or counselor.
If we do not deal with suppressed anger inside us, then it can cause us to be bitter resentful people and I believe may even cause serious illnesses like cancer, terminal illnesses and all manner of unexplainable physical ailments.
The following links (which are both from the same source) can also give further insight as to how spiritual and emotional problems may (but not always) lead to physical sicknesses and diseases:-
http://www.mindsync.com/lam/root.htm
http://www.lifeapplicationministries.org/info.htm
Noel and Phyl Gibson have also written some books which relate to this matter as well.
The following pages are taken from Joyce Meyer’s recent book “ Living Beyond Your Feelings”. This may also prove helpful when dealing with anger in everyday life.
The following are recommended phrases of what to say and what not to say to someone going through grief from the same book :-
