Anger

Anger is a volatile and fiery emotion; it can flare quickly, easily dominate our thinking and take over our minds and actions to the point where it comes out as harsh, ugly and damaging. The problem is that incorrectly used it is hijacked by our emotions, not used for God’s plan.

If the purpose of anger is to right a wrong, then we have to be careful to use it appropriately and to direct it at the problem. Many people end up carrying enormous amounts of unexpressed anger because of real or perceived hurts, or end up letting fly at anyone or anything that gets in the way (I see red and let go so all around me feel the anger).

Praying with anger is enormously difficult because of the amount of emotions involved.

Excerpted from Deeper Into The Mess: Praying Through Tough Times by Brendan McManus SJ and Jim Deeds (p.61)