Is anger taking over your life?

"You don't have to accept the invitation to get angry. Instead, practice forgiveness, empathy and encouragement."

Many of us just let it all out when someone does something that just gets on our nerves. Sometimes it might be a snap, a bite, or a blow up. Any of these can cause serious side affects. More so to the one who has become angry, given in to it, than the one having it taken out on. Anger eats you from the inside out, like a disease. It rots away your life, happiness...and heart. Where there is anger, there is no room for love or forgiveness.

Proverbs talks a lot about anger, and how dangerous it is.

A quick tempered man acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated.
—Proverbs 14:17

He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
—Proverbs 14:29

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
—Proverbs 15:1

A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but the slow to anger calms a dispute.
—Proverbs 15:18

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who captures a city.
—Proverbs 16:32

Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
—Proverbs 19:11

Do not associate with a man given to anger, or go with a hot-tempered man,
or you will learn his ways and find a snare for yourself.
—Proverbs 22:24-25

An angry man stirs up strife, and and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
—Proverbs 29:22

God said over and over in the bible, "love one another" or "anger stirs up strife". Every single day it's a challenge to not give in to all the little (or big) things that upset me and want to make me take out my anger on people. We cannot resist the temptation. It is not humanly possible...but it's possible for God. And He WILL help us overcome these things; through Him we can be made new and be released of the burden of anger.

Something my mom has said ever since I was little is, "Every time you want to get mad or do something wrong, you think about that "little" thing you're doing, and remember that it put Jesus on the cross. Every time you want to get mad, pray for someone. Satan will finally realize that by getting you angry, he is only making you draw closer to God."

Take out that "anger" and put all of that feeling and energy into something that NEEDS it. Like people. Prayer; so simple yet SO incredibly powerful.