Excerpt from Life On Life, Applying the One-Anothers of Scripture

The following is a brief excerpt from a lesson on anger and forgiveness. For the entire lesson and to participate in this Biblical Mentor training course, please visit www.biblicalmentor.com

You may wonder why we have both anger and forgiveness in the same lesson. More often than not, they go hand in hand. A woman who is unforgiving is an angry woman. An angry woman is unforgiving. The only antidote for anger is forgiveness. The world offers many so- called “solutions” to anger problems. There are anger management courses, medications to calm anger, psychological methods for unleashing your anger, and any number of self-help remedies.
Anger does not always look “angry.” It can be expressed outwardly, which is what we most commonly think of when we think about anger. It can also be turned inward, which eventually causes feelings of depression. A depressed woman may not look angry to you, but often when you dig deeper with her and take a look at her heart (her thoughts, beliefs, and desires), you will find an angry woman who has allowed her anger to go unresolved. There is very likely unforgiveness in her heart.
When you are sharing hope with someone with an angry and unforgiving heart, it is critical to review the Gospel with her. Be as certain as you can that she understands it clearly and that she believes it. Then begin to teach her to apply it to her anger and unforgiveness. If after a time you are not seeing any evidence that she is growing in her ability to forgive, you need to consider encouraging her to seek help from a Biblical Counselor.
It is helpful to understand anger and forgiveness accurately before you can offer hope to others.