[nandm]

Anger

We asked ourselves why we were angry
64:21

We asked ourselves why we were angry.

The directions for the second column are simple; we write down why we were angry. As we develop insight, we will see that our interpretation of events is not always accurate. Many of us have found it helpful to list the facts and write only what actually happened rather than our interpretation. As an example we could write, "My spouse told me to slow down." This is what actually happened. An example of how we might interpret the events is an attack upon our competency as a driver and an attempt by our spouse to control our actions. Our interpretation of the event should be saved for the third colum, where we describe what in us was affected by the event.


to live we had to be free of anger
66:14

If we were to live, we had to be free of anger.

To be free of something is to be out from under its control. We are not suggesting that we must be without anger. However, it is essential that we be in control of this powerful emotion and not the other way around. Our Creator gave us the ability to be angry so that we could protect ourselves, not so that our anger could harm us and those we love.

anger prayer
67:5

God save me from being angry.

This prayre is a method of accessing Divine Power to accomplish what we are unable to do for ourselves. We decide to change our minds and we ask God to change our hearts. By repeatedly trying to practive this spiritual principle, we live our way into a new way of thinking.

the first principle of success
111:1

The first principle of success is that you should never be angry.