Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Question

 

Gramps,

Sometimes I get mad for no reason. What should I do?

Nathan

 

Answer

 

Hello Nathan,

Anger is a natural emotion necessary to our individual progression toward becoming Godlike; however, anger is not an emotion that occurs without an instigating stimulation. Our anger, at times, may have reason to be justified and other times our anger will be unfounded.

The first step to understanding our anger is to remove fallacies of logic that inhibit growth, “I get mad for no reason,” is a fallacy.  Thus, what stimulation causes you to experience anger?  And, what virtue is the opposite emotion of anger?  We are creations of intelligence that have moral agency to act for ourselves, and not to be acted upon. We have knowledge of opposites, and through the Atonement of Christ (Ether 12:27), we can overcome any weakness we experience.

Our Father in Heaven understood that life would provide experience, and that our experiences would entice one emotion over another: anger vs. patience.  This, in turn, gives us knowledge.  As our knowledge increases we begin to recognize the value of self-control (the opportunity to act for ourselves and not to be acted upon).  The importance of controlling the emotion of anger is emphasized in this verse, James 1:19-20, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”

The Old Testament gives us further light and knowledge. Proverbs 16:32, “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth [governs himself] his spirit than he that taketh a city” (emphasis added). This verse reminds us of the importance of being spiritually minded rather than carnally minded.  As we nourish our spirit with the fruits of the spirit, Galatians 5:22, “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness and faith”, the easier it will be for our spirit to recognize a situation that will stimulate, give rise, to feelings of anger, and then choose to act in patience, love, and long-suffering.

 

Gramps

 

 

 

Copyright © 2024 Ask Gramps - Q and A about Mormon Doctrine. All Rights Reserved.
This website is not owned by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. The views expressed by individual users are the responsibility of those users and do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. For the official Church websites, please visit churchofjesuschrist.org or comeuntochrist.org.

Pin It on Pinterest