Destroyed from the inside out

Nothing destroys a person from the inside more than the root of bitterness.  It eats away at a person until the sweetness that was once there is dissolved and but a memory. Anger is a fire that can be used for good, but if left unchecked and not properly contained and dealt with, it can destroy and consume you.  You may wonder how anger can be used for good... it can help you to stand up and be a voice for the helpless, the abused, the poor. It can on the other hand divide families, cause divorces, and leave a person so bitter nothing seems to reach them.  So how do you balance the two?  I learned by reading a book called Overcoming Emotions That Destroy, by Chip Ingram, that anger is a secondary emotion, usually the result of an unmet need, unmet expectation, or hurt feelings.  It's important to identify the root of the problem and then find the most appropriate way to address it from there.  Communication is key, believe it or not other people can't read your mind and most of the time are clueless to why they have upset you, or that you are even upset at all. Second... deal with your emotions in a healthy manner, don't vomit your anger on other people, don't leak it through sarcastic comments, and don't stuff it inside and pretend you don't have problems (we all do!) Identify it, address it, move forward. Learn you don't need an apology to move forward, sometimes just saying a prayer for someone is about as freeing as hearing the words I am sorry.