Putting Away Anger

“Why won’t someone really love me for who I am?”

English: Angry woman. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

All of us feel the need to be loved, but when we feel unloved, we respond to feelings of rejection with anger. Many of us don’t associate our anger with the need for love. But when we feel a right or need that has not been fulfilled in our life, we will experience disappointment and anger. The sense of love brings stability in our lives and without it we will feel unstable and incomplete.

The source of true love is always God, but the relationships we had, especially early in our lives, formulate what we think about love.

A single woman named Mary* (not her real name) in her early 40s was mad and frustrated, because while her friends are married with children, she is all alone by herself. She looked for relationships in church and not the bar scene. But even when she opened herself up to the relationship, it didn’t work out. She was unable to find a lasting relationship and suffered with anger. She became extremely angry and depressed.

One day, Mary said to God, “You didn’t give me a husband, you didn’t give me a husband!”

Rejection flames the fire of anger.

“Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.” Ephesians 4:26, MSG.

We can put down anger and receive the love we deserve by declaring the Word of God. Listen to yourself — what you say about yourself, especially during the times when anger seems to be rampant in your thoughts. Replace these thoughts with the Word of God.

Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” NIV

Father, forgive me for my anger, which comes from a disappointment of feeling that I have a right to be loved.  Only You can give me the unconditional love I desire. I repent of this anger and ask You to release it from my life.  This includes everyone I have anger towards, and anyone who has disappointed me, including You and myself.  I declare I will do as scripture says “by never letting anger get a hold on me, but will deal with it immediately.

In Jesus Name. Amen.