Tag: anger

Don’t let your anger ruin Christmas

by Rob Furlong

About a month ago I came across a trailer advertising this year’s Christmas movie – Violent Night. Basically, the plot revolves around Santa going rogue and taking out the bad guys on Christmas Eve, using his heavy arsenal of guns and weapons. Hence the name Violent Night. (Disclaimer here – I am not recommending you see the movie – but there is a point to my mentioning it!)

Violence is not something we automatically associate with Christmas. Our minds are filled with thoughts of love, peace, and good will toward others, but violence? Certainly not!

However, if you read the account of Jesus’ birth carefully – the first Christmas – you will discover that violence is as much a part of the story as peace and love.

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Communication Killers

By Rob Furlong

Author Tim La Haye once wrote:

“As long as two people can keep the lines of communication open and freely express their feelings, differences can be resolved.”

We have been exploring anger this year and the negative effect it has on relationships when expressed poorly or inappropriately; this month I want to talk about the way in which negative anger kills communication between people and what we can do about it.

There are three, basic communication killers.

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When our fears turn to anger

“Be angry, yet do not sin…”

So wrote Paul the Apostle as he gave great practical advice on living out our relationships with one another.

Many years ago, a friend read this out to a group of us while also making an honest admission that he found this piece of advice “incredibly difficult to live out!” He was simply echoing what we all felt – it’s so easy to quote this statement, but extremely hard to follow!

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Expressing anger well

By Rob Furlong
I used to think the best way to deal with my anger was to push it down deep inside of me where it had no chance of escaping, say nothing at all and give the appearance of being calm and collected.
I learned painfully, however, that this is just as unhealthy a behaviour as expressing anger inappropriately.
“Be angry, and yet do not sin,” the Apostle Paul tells the Ephesians.
“That is easier said than done!” I hear you say. “I mean, is it reasonable to think you can express anger without hurting people or damaging relationships?”
Paul certainly believed it was.
Think carefully about what he is saying.
Firstly, it is ok to express anger.
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How to express anger appropriately

“THE anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.”
So wrote James the Just, a prominent leader of the first century church. It’s an astute observation. Think of the times you have expressed your anger inappropriately and it has led to damaging accusations, criticism, and silence.
Thankfully, James was a practical man and prior to making this statement, he provides three steps to encourage us to express our anger in an appropriate way.
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Anger can torch your relationships

By Rob Furlong
Angry people can do a lot of damage.
If you haven’t discovered this yet, listen to the advice of The Incredible Hulk’s alter-ego, Bruce Banner, who politely warns all those who would provoke him, “Don’t make me angry – you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry!”
His message is clear: “Get me angry and you will unleash the beast, and it won’t end well for anyone…”
Unresolved, uncontrolled, and inappropriately expressed anger leaves a destructive wake in relationships, both for those on the receiving end, and the angry person.
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Why so much anger?

Tips for Life

By Alan Bailey

Anger can lead to tragedy. The case of an alleged murder before a Brisbane court is a sad example.

A father-of-three from New Zealand, who was due to marry in a week’s time, had an altercation with an older man who was aggressively following him on a Queensland highway on December 1.

The accused allegedly pushed the man who fell into the path of an oncoming garbage truck.

The man, a father of four, was killed.

Apparently, the accused had no past record and lived a normal life. In court it was revealed that the victim was a former professional driver and had an alleged history of road rage incidents. The case will be re-heard in April.

A cool head would have saved all of this.

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Beware: anger is boiling everywhere!

BY ALAN BAILEY

It’s not hard to see. For some reason, anger is alive and well, roaring like an escaped lion.

On the news we see people becoming enraged on the roads for some triviality, ready to smash people and their motor cars. I saw an all-in brawl among youngsters at a skateboard park. Then I noted the uncontrolled passion of an ex-husband who wants to murder all who have opposed him.

Anger is also stalking the sports field among players and spectators. Earlier this year, a professional tennis player smashed no less than four racquets in a temper tantrum. There they were, all pathetically wrecked, fit only for the rubbish bin.

So what is going on? Why are so many people so quickly aroused to boiling point?

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