ANGER MANAGEMENT
Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen. – Leviticus 19:18
Phinehas
Gage was a capable and efficient railroad construction foreman. But in
1848, he had a freak accident where a rod pierced through his skull
above his left eye. His recovery was miraculous but the damage to the
front lobe of his brain caused Gage to be angry, short-tempered and
unsteady.
Many
point to his case in illustrating the role that our frontal lobe plays
in controlling our anger. Scientists say that this part balances the
amygdala, the portion of our brain dealing with our emotions that goes
crazy when we’re angry. This whole balancing act can take as little as
two seconds to control our anger. That’s why there’s great wisdom in
counting to 10 before reacting when we’re infuriated.
God
has equipped our bodies with systems to control our emotions. We don’t
need to be a slave to our feelings; instead, we can be their master. But
more than the physiological mechanisms He has built into us, God also
gives us His power to bear the fruits of patience and temperance.
So
the next time you feel like bursting with rage, remember: God has
already given you what you need to control your anger. Then start
counting to 10. Rissa Singson-Kawpeng (justbreatherissa@gmail.com)
Reflection: For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
Jesus, teach me to master my emotions. Amen. Blessed John of Fiesole, pray for us.
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