Bruce Banner was a mild-mannered scientist working on a dangerous experiment that went haywire. To save his friend, he was forced to make the ultimate sacrifice. Fortunately, he did not die. Unfortunately, he was cursed with the superpower of transforming into a green rampaging hulk every time he got really angry. People get hurt and properties get smashed whenever he becomes the Hulk.

This is the story of Bruce Banner aka the Incredible Hulk. The theme of anger is the brand of this fictional character and he is beloved by countless comic book lovers worldwide. Bruce is popular because a lot of people could relate to him. Anger is that ugly unnatural thing that we do not want in us. Most people probably have been in situations when they just went berserk. Many people do not want to acknowledge that anger in them.

Anger is natural though. Everyone gets angry. Jesus got angry, which seems strange to most people. He, in the eyes of the world, has this so-gentle-he-can’t-hurt-a-fly image. However, in chapter 2 of the Gospel of John, Jesus got so angry that he whipped and overturned tables. He did so because the poor were being exploited. So, Jesus experienced righteous anger in that temple. Like Jesus, we too can use anger for good.

What about unrighteous anger? Another word for that is wrath. It is the uncontrolled kind of anger that gets your blood so hot that you speak and do unspeakable things. How do you overcome wrath?

Most of us have felt angry feelings. It is actually abnormal to not experience these emotions. The way to overcome angry feelings is not to avoid them. Anger is inevitable. You cannot avoid dealing with it forever. Despite its inevitability, there is something you can do about anger. You may not be able to control the entrance of anger but you can control its exit.

When it comes to anger, attention is addition. The more you entertain infuriating thoughts and triggers, the more you feed the anger. Step out of the hate loop. Switch your focus to more positive things like your dreams and goals. Instead of dwelling on what aggravates you, dwell on what enriches you. Look forward to better things because what you focus on becomes your reality.

 

Losing control is a terrifying experience. The most common way we lost control of our emotions is through words, which could result in broken homes and relationships. We cuss and curse people we do not like. A great deal of caution is needed when we take this course of action. We need to realize that when we use our mouths to curse, we curse ourselves.

Jesus breaks his gentle image again by mentioning hell as a warning to those who would curse others. So instead of cursing with your words, start blessing with your words. Bring heaven down on people as you affirm and honor them. Your words are powerful. Your mouth is powerful. Use your mouth and your words to bless others.

 

When a potential loss is imminent, the response is either fight or flight. Angry people will often choose to fight tooth and nail to preserve whatever position, possession, and even people (specifically relationships) they have. Overcoming this instinctual response can seem like an impossible endeavor. Jesus preaches an intentional solution to overcome this instinctual hurdle.

Self-sacrifice can overcome self-preservation. Whatever your enemy has taken from you, offer it is a gift. This is what a Jesus follower would do. Love and sacrifice are written in the DNA of every Christian. You are more than capable of giving up your need to express your anger in destructive ways because you are a child of God. You are a champion of Christ.

I used to think it was impossible to control anger. However, as I aged, I learned to direct it towards doing good. As a very angry individual, I allowed my anger to fuel my service to God. Whenever I felt like giving up, I allowed the pent-up rage to keep me going. After many years of trials, the anger became an unusually intense form of love. It is virtually impossible to stay angry when you serve the Lord. It is impossible to be filled with wrath when you follow the Prince of Peace.

In all my years of service, I realize that the Lord was slowly turning me into a giant. Not a physical giant, but a person with a big heart. I realize that the bigger my heart grows, the easier it is for me to let go of small hurts. There are times when I do give into my anger yet still I am hopeful because I am a work in progress. Same with you, friend. God is working on you. He is working on your character.

Thank you so much for reading this post from The Upsurge. Please consider sharing this post. It helps to spread the message of love.  God bless you!