Scripture:
Ephesians 4:26: Do not let the sun go down on your anger
Prayer:
Adult:
Dear God,
I am so, so angry right now. God, I thought you would not give me more than I can bear and I’m feeling overwhelmed. Can you please ease my heart? Can you please give me peace? Please God strip me of my anger. I want to feel happy and whole again. Please God give me enough understanding and resolution to see beyond this anger. Thank You! Amen!
Child:
Dear God,
I am really, really mad right now. Can you help me not be angry? Thank you God. Amen.
Activity:
Adult:
My husband went through a period of being very angry after us wanting a child so badly, finally becoming pregnant, and then being told our baby would not make it to term. It took him a period of having tough conversations with God to get through his anger and hurt. Still to this day, he sometimes still asks why. Below are activities you can try this week to work through the anger:
- Pretend you were having a meal with God – what would you tell him?
- Draw a picture that symbolizes how you are feeling
- Write a letter to God
- Make a picture of what is upsetting you and do one of the following to help release the anger – scribble on it or color it however you want, put it on a punching bag to kick or hit, or twist and tear it up.
- Do any type of activity to allow you to rest and get in a zone whether this is painting, running, yoga, throwing stones, or listening to music. Don’t think – just do.
- Dream or go to a place which has good memories for you.
- Envision what would make you happy and make it into a collage (ex. your dreams, goals, aspirations, etc.)
Child:
- Try to separate the child from what is angering them (give them time by themselves in a safe place)
- Let them draw or paint and ask them about their pictures
- Give them a healthy outlet to release their anger (sometimes a healthy outlet may be punching a pillow)
- Do something calming such as deep breaths,rocking, cuddling, singing, speaking in a calm tone, giving them a massage, or something homeopathic such as using scents or oils to help ease the anger
- Ask them questions – depending on age they may have problems with the abstract, but you can use examples (ex. Mommy is angry grandma had to go bye-bye. How are you feeling about grandma going bye-bye?
