Exposing Anger's Darkness to the Light of Enquiry

Anger, it seems to me, is a control issue. When we are out of control, we flounder; anger is a response of resistance to frustration. Given exactly the same scenario the next person would respond the same way. Once we have accepted anger is a legitimate response, we can begin to work with our situations to improve them; to plan better; to practice more effective responses. Let’s go beyond guilt and shame for our anger and work to help ourselves out. In that, others are blessed. That’s got to be a good aim.

There are many good reasons for reconciling the irrationality of anger.

Where we can understand these reasons we can accept them, and, of course, we can go on into a better location of mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Surely this is God’s will for us. Surely we please God supremely when we grapple with the truth and understand ourselves to the core, so we are better for others’ lives.

Anger is surely the invitation to understand from whence it comes.

Anger is surely the barb of the soul piqued and jaded and prompted no end toward working until there is a solution—even if that sometimes is mere, yet powerful, acceptance. Still, like too many others, we accept our anger by our justifications. We don’t significantly employee the process of enquiry.

Why are we angry? What is our anger telling us? And is it satisfactory to remain the way that we are? These and many more questions are relevant.

When anger surfaces there is a current, that might as well be a stream of hollow discontent, bubbling well below the outer crust. It might as well be volcanic, and for all we know the internal ructions spell a potential eruption of unprecedented proportions. This is why anger is so dangerous, for we just don’t know when it might get out of control.

Hence the reason we explore it proactively.

When we ask ourselves questions of query, and we don’t protect ourselves against the answer, we may find God is revealing to us truth that may hurt initially, but is destined for our good.

Whatever is challenged in the light dispels darkness.

When we hold something within ourselves—in this case, the irrationality of anger—and expose it to such a light it cannot help but be transformed.

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An attempt to understand anger may be just what is needed as we invite light to shed truth on the darkness. When we do not fear our anger, but instead we explore it, without shame or guilt, we may invite God to heal us both of using its damaging energy and the damage it can cause.

© 2013 S. J. Wickham.