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A lot of times, anger is what some experts call a "mask emotion." Just like a mask hides Spider-Man's true identity, we mask emotions to hide what we're actually feeling. For example, we don't want anyone to know we're feeling scared or guilty, so we use anger as a mask emotion to keep people from getting too close. It can feel like our anger is protecting us, but it's actually just pushing everyone else away.
Well, almost everyone else . . . God's love for us remains a constant for us all, no matter what's going on with our emotions. More than that, God can help us examine what's happening with our emotional lives. When you ask God for help removing your mask, you can get a better idea of what's going on underneath and what to do about it.
Are you using anger to mask feelings of fear and anxiety? God can help you conquer those fears and give you wisdom for how to manage them. Are you using anger to mask feelings of guilt about something you've done? God will forgive you, no matter what.
One of the best ways to seek God's help with this stuff is by turning to the Bible, which has lots of stories about how God has helped other people going through the exact same stuff. The Bible makes it clear that God's words can sort through all our complicated feelings, and help us figure out which parts are real, and which are masking our true feelings.
Scripture
About this Plan
For the next four weeks, we’ll explore four passages of Scripture from both the Old and New Testaments that might challenge our view on anger. We’ll learn practical skills like when we feel angry, pause to ask God why. We’ll see how, when we’re angry, Jesus shows us how to respond. And in our anger, we'll be challenged to show grace and not get hurtful.
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