WHAT IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF YOUR ANGER?

WHAT IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF YOUR ANGER?

 

Have you ever gotten angry with someone and then said to yourself: “What was that all about? What’s really going on with me?” Have you tried to investigate what’s most often the cause of your anger? Identifying and cleaning up what’s beneath the surface can be a freeing experience. Answering today’s question will help you begin to rid yourself of any underlying, diseased area of your life, so you can better navigate through your next God-given purpose.

 

FACING A ROOT CAUSE IS AKIN TO FACING A ROOT CANAL

 

What ugliness is at the root of your anger? Is it pride, frustration, physical pain, or lack of control in a situation? Is it self-righteous indignation, selfishness, disgust, sadness over an injustice, or fear of rejection? Anger can be a defense against vulnerability, intimacy, or commitment; it can be a way to keep people off the scent of the truth about you. Have you figured out that your anger is often caused by exhaustion, insecurity, or disappointment? Or, could it be caused by your impatience, envy, or embarrassment? Elisa Morgan, president of MOPS Int’l (Mothers of Preschoolers), has learned the value of looking beneath the surface of her anger.

 

ELISA MORGAN KNOWS THERE’S MORE TO THE STORY THAN MEETS THE EYE

 

Elisa, the wife of Evan for nearly a quarter of a century and the mother of two almost-grown children, is a woman committed to growing through all that God brings her way. Since 1989, Elisa has been president and CEO of MOPS Int’l, a lifestyle evangelism organization that nurtures moms of preschool-age children around the globe. She is also an author, speaker, and host of MomSense radio.

 

Elisa says, “God is so much better and more complex than I ever imagined. He is generally unfathomable! I love growing into the challenge of trusting him and yielding my life to him.” Elisa comments that she is called to truth—to know it for herself and to share it with others. During this season of her life, her audience has been mothers. She admits that her platform has been her own inadequacy in mothering, and she is honored that God has allowed her deficits to be offered up for his purposes.

 

Elisa’s bouts with anger are much less frequent now, but when she does get angry, she immediately digs past the surface to find out what else is really going on. She tries to determine if her anger is stemming from pain, fear, or perhaps sadness— which are probable causes for her. She has some excellent advice to share: “Anger is labeled a bad emotion, and women are told that they are not supposed to get angry. The truth is that anger is a real human emotion. Anger can be a friend when we learn what it wants to teach us, especially what has triggered it.”

 

What Is the Root Cause of Your Anger? Cain Had Underlying Causes for His Anger

 

Cain killed his brother, Abel, in the first recorded murder in Scripture. The root cause of his anger is clearly stated in the Bible: Cain was jealous of God’s favor with Abel. Read Genesis 4:1–15. How do you feel when you are on the receiving end of someone’s unbridled anger?

 

SCRIPTURE TO PONDER

 

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (James 1:19–20)

 

SUGGESTED PRAYER

 

Dear Lord, I know that I, _________, should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. Let’s face it, my anger does not bring about the righteous life that you desire. Today I pray that you will help me better understand what is causing my anger, what I can learn from it, and what to do about it as it is happening. Help my anger move me toward constructive action, so that it will bless others, not harm them. I ask you to give me a desire to share the truth about the root cause of my anger with someone I trust. Save me from myself!

 

 

So . . . What Insight, Prayer, or Action Step Has God Laid on Your Heart Today?