Living Word Baptist Church

Every person has a "Pattern of Toxic Behavior" that can significantly damage the important and intimate relationships in his life. Anger is one of our ten basic, God-given emotions. This emotion can be constructive or destructive—depending upon our response.

We give our lives to Jesus to help us use all of our emotions according to God's design and to appropriately change our pattern of relating to others and our responsibilities.

When most of us think of an "angry" person, we think of someone who destroys themselves and their relationships through uncontrollable outbursts of rage. We usually picture someone who goes around slamming doors, yelling loudly, and making life miserable for everyone, including themselves. Yet this is only one part of anger. Anger has many faces.

Equally as damaging and destructive is anger that is suppressed, or "stuffed." Stuffed anger will continue to destructively influence our behaviors and attitudes. Ultimately, even suppressed anger erupts from deep within the heart. Recognizing and accepting responsibility for toxic patterns of behavior is the first hurdle to overcome as one runs the race toward true freedom from anger.

Walking through the recovery process with Jesus Christ as our Higher Power allows us to admit our powerlessness to control our anger. It allows us to trust that He will help us to overcome our destructive habits. Breaking the old patterns that have kept us locked into destructive behavior takes time. What took years to bring about will take some time to change. But with Jesus Christ as our Higher Power, and the willingness to allow Him to change our life, real freedom from anger is possible!

Self-Evaluation

How many apply to you?

1. I become impatient easily when things do not go according to my plans.
2. I tend to have critical thoughts toward others who don't agree with my opinions.
3. When I am displeased with someone I may shut down any communication with them or withdraw entirely.
4. I get annoyed easily when friends and family do not appear sensitive to my needs.
5. I feel frustrated when I see someone else having an "easier" time than me.
6. Whenever I am responsible for planning an important event, I am preoccupied with how I must manage it.
7. When talking about a controversial topic, the tone of my voice is likely to become louder and more assertive.
8. I can accept a person who admits his or her mistakes, but I get irritated easily at those who refuse to admit their weaknesses.
9. I do not easily forget when someone "does me wrong."
10. When someone confronts me with a misinformed opinion, I am thinking of my comeback even while they're speaking.
11. I find myself becoming aggressive even while playing a game for fun.
12. I struggle emotionally with the things in life that "aren't fair."
13. Although I realize that it may not be right, I sometime blame others for my problems.
14. More often than not I use sarcasm as a way of expressing humor.
15. I may act kindly toward others on the outside, yet feel bitter and frustrated on the inside.

What is your score? If 4-8 are true, your anger is probably more constant than you would like. If 9 or more are true, there is a strong possibility that you have struggled with periods of anger or rage, whether you are aware of it or not. Allow us to help.

If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit drinking or using entirely, or if you have little control over the amount you consume, you are probably an alcoholic and/or an addict. If that is the case, you may be suffering from a problem which only a spiritual solution will conquer.

If you are as seriously alcoholic or addicted as we were, we believe there is no middle-of-the-road solution. We were in a position where life was becoming impossible, and we had passed into the region from which there is no return through human resources. We had but two alternatives: One was to go on to the bitter end, blotting out the consciousness of our intolerable situation as best as we could; and the other was to accept Jesus Christ as our Higher Power.