I sincerely hope that when I get my first self-help book completed and produced, that someone actually benefits from it. I know that many can and do suffer through the things that I have experienced in my life, and I know that I can help literally millions when I get my book done. The whole point, in my opinion, is NOT to make money off of self help books, but to HELP people. Am I right? Well that is my reason for writing anyway.
This book... Overcome negative emotions and become happier and healthier... Ugh!
Something I have not mastered quite yet is a wee bit of anger. Not sure where it came from, but I have it. I am filled with the Spirit of Joy and Contentment 99.9% of the time, and am Patient beyond my wildest imaginings. I HAVE come a LONG way. However, there is that moment... that instant... that I have had enough... I can handle the bickering of my kids only so long... or I can explain something to my child, in 400 different ways, with love, and with patience... but 401, NAH explosion. There is no pattern, there is no reason, there is no seeing it coming... I reach a wall... the straw, the last stand... and EXPLOSION... I yell, and curse, and rant, and wave my arms around, and yell, and yell...... then I'm done, I apologize, and it's gone. BUT... I feel HORRIBLE... so I'm looking for something that will help me to address whatever this anger, frustration, lack of patience is... and saw this book and here we are.
Out of 10 chapters there is 1 on anger. I patiently read all the other chapters, knowing that I don't need help with Fear, Guilt, Worry, Anxiety, Rejection (PFFFTTT.... reject me all you want, I Don't Care) I'm ok with all these. I turned them over to God a long time ago, and have successfully not taken them back. Anger... I'm genuinely not an angry person, so where does this anger come from, how do I stop it, how do I address it? So, I'm reading the Anger chapter. "People tend to become angry because: 1. they aren't allowed to have their own way, 2. they are in pain, either physical or emotional, or 3. they are jealous." NO, NO, NO. Okay, let's look into this, let's pray. Maybe... just maybe, I am overlooking something. NOPE... this is not why I snap.
"Anger is usually expressed in one of two ways: 1. As a physical or verbal outburst, or 2. As a brooding silence" Ooooooh... I can do both. I do do both. Ok.
"Nothing good comes from anger" OF COURSE I KNOW THIS ALREADY OR I WOULDN'T BE READING THIS BOOK TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT HOW NOT TO BE ANGRY.
"When we are angry, we cannot respond to the needs of others, we lose our compassion, we become estranged...etc. etc. etc. Yea Yea I know I know.
Then it talks about the difference between Righteous Indignation or Ungodly anger. I already know what I'm doing is Ungodly! AGAIN that is why I'm reading the book.
Then, FINALLY, Neutralizing the Acid of Anger... "unchecked anger acts as acid on the soul" (dropping head... I know this already) It says, repressing it is bad, yes I agree. Suppressing it is bad, YES I agree. Expressing it is bad. DUH!!! Why am I reading this book?
Confess it, that is the alternative confess it. Ask him to heal it. Trust God.
Confess it, ask him to heal it, Trust God.
Confess it, ask him to heal it, Trust God.
I'm not angry right now, how do I confess it? Do I ask God to forgive me for the next time that I lash out in anger? I don't think it works that way. Asking God to forgive you for what you are about to do, means you have forethought and therefore you DON'T do it in the first place. My anger is instantaneously present, and I don't know it's coming I can't ask forgiveness ahead of time. AND even if I could, my reason for trying to control my outbursts is so that I don't hurt those that my outbursts land on.
I suppose that at this point, I will CONFESS that I have no control over my outbursts of anger, Ask God to HEAL me of these outbursts, and TRUST that God will do so!!!
So IF (and that is a HUGE if) I took something from this book, there it is. Confess, ask for healing, and trust in God. I think you can get that from a million other better books than this one.
Shalom
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