I’m delighted to introduce my new book Slow to Anger: Recovering Anger as the Gift It’s Meant to Be.
Our world is awash in anger which harms individuals, families, communities, and nations. Anger is meant to be a gift –the can’t-ignore-it-emotion which signals a gap between what is and what should be. The problem is that Anger wants to rule you. This book explores in detail many wrong ideas about anger and describes recommended practices to create space to respond well, discern how to respond, and act with self-control.
Perhaps the most unique aspect of this book are the three dialogs. These are slightly fictionalized versions of real conversations I’ve had with people battling anger.
- Christopher is a young man in his mid-20’s, struggling to control his temper and angry outbursts.
- Peter is in his mid-50’s, chronically outraged over politics and religion/culture issues.
- Sophie is a recently divorced single mom with a teenage daughter, both angry about their ex-husband/father betraying them.
This is a very personal book for me because I’ve battled anger all my life. Even if you haven’t struggled with anger, you know someone who does. There is a way to use Anger as the gift it’s meant to be.
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Slow to Anger is structured in three parts:
- Using Anger as a Gift with the Alert-Discern-Act Model. These are the practical chapters.
- The Dialogs. These are slightly fictionalized accounts of actual conversations I’d had with people who struggle with anger.
- A Biblical Study of Anger
The Bible has a LOT to say about Anger. There is a rich vocabulary, too – 7 Hebrew words and 6 Greek words.
I learned long ago that the best way to study a topic is to first write down all the questions you have, then go to reliable resources and try to answer those questions. This is how I create a biblical framework for any theme or concept — study all the Bible says directly and indirectly about a topic with my questions in mind.
Here was my Anger question list:
● Is anger always wrong? (sinful)
● What is the difference between feeling anger and responding in anger?
● If God is pure and holy, what prompts His anger?
● Why was Jesus angry at the money-changers and some of the Pharisees, but not at Roman soldiers flogging him and crucifying him?
● Why is anger a common attribute of humans in all times and all cultures?
● Should we expect to move beyond all anger as God does His slow work of making us more like Jesus?
● What are good/righteous reasons to be angry, and what are not?
● Can the energy from anger be used righteously?
● What distinguishes anger from rage and hate?
● How do anger and fear fit together?
● How can we fulfill the command “be angry and do not sin”? (Ephesians 4:26)
● Is anger just an emotion to be managed, or does it have a purpose?
● Why is anger so powerful and controlling?
● What are the best ways to keep anger in check?
● Why has anger been so much with me all my life?
● Are some people more predisposed to be angry?
● Does anger have any role in a mature Christian’s life?
● Is anger ever the appropriate response to personal attacks?
● Is there ever a time when anger is useful in serving others?
● If we’re truly made in the image of God, and God sometimes gets angry, then is anger a part of our image as God-crafted humans, or is it a result of the Fall?
● Do anger and freedom have anything in common?
● How does anger affect friendship, trust, mission, focus, and fear?
● Does my anger need to be eliminated or sanctified?
● Did my kids inherit my anger? Did I inherit it through my parents?
● What would this world be like if anger didn’t exist?
● Is anger ever justified against enemies?
● How can I be free of the anger that wants to rule me?
● Is anger ever praiseworthy?
● Is it enough to be good at managing my anger most of the time?
Slow to Anger will give you some answers to these questions.